Snowbound
by Cheetah Goddess
Summary: The perfect way to relax after a hard journey is a nice vacation with friends. Hikari just wanted a break. But will jealousy cause things heat up, or freeze over? Scarfshipping: KoukixHikarixJunLucasxDawnxDamion
1. Vacation

**DISCLAMIER: **I don't own Pokemon. If tyou think otherwise, you are very, very sad indeed.

* * *

**THUD! THUD! THUD!**

A tangled mass of suitcase and boy came flying down the stairs, only to thunder back up them moments later. As always, Jun was in a hurry. This time it was not for Pokémon; it was a whole different kind of adventure.

A vacation.

"Bye, Mom! See you later!" The words were out of his mouth before he had even finished rushing down the stairs.

His mother, becoming more adept at slowing her boy down, stopped him at the door, becoming a human barricade. "Jun, dear! Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Wha…? No! I've got everything!" He anxiously looked past the woman, his freedom inches away. He tried to dodge her; she sidestepped in front of him.

She stared him down, raising an eyebrow. "Jun…"

Now becoming a little worried, he looked down at the suitcase in his hands, only to notice something else. He was still in his pajamas. "Oh, shoot!" He dropped his bag, rushing back up the stairs. Moments later, another chorus of thumps arose. Jun, now fully dressed, making his way back down the steps, wrapping his green scarf around his neck as he did. He picked up his bags, dashing out the door. "Later!"

A flurry of knocks were heard before Jun let himself inside the house, holding his suitcase to his chest.

"Oh! Good morning, Jun!" Hikari's mother looked up from her newspaper, sitting down at the table. "Hikari's upstairs. She should be ready by now." Jun nodded, heading up the stairs.

The girl's door open, Jun peaked inside. "Hikariii! Come on!"

Hikari, a hairbrush in her hand, pouted at him. "I'm almost ready! Let me just finishing brushing my hair!"

He started running in place, pouting as well. "What's the point of brushing your hair if you're just going to wear a hat? Come oooon! I don't wanna be late!"

She stuck her tongue out at him, setting the brush down. "Fine! We still need to meet Kouki anyways." Grabbing her hat, she quickly bereted her hair, putting the hat on as she slung her pack over her shoulder. She checked her work in the mirror, adjusting things here and their.

Not for the first time, Jun couldn't help but respect her. How could such a innocent and normal looking girl hold so much power? Not only did she best the Elite Four and become Champion, but she managed to tame the Legendary Pokémon single-handedly. To this day, Jun could yet beat her in Pokémon battle, no matter how hard he tried. It didn't seem to dishearten him, only spur him on. One of these days, he would beat her.

"Jun? Why are you still standing there?" Hikari waved a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance.

"Oh!" He grabbed her arm. "Let's go!"

She barely had time to grab her suitcase before being dragged out of the house. "Bye, mom!"

Her mom shouted out the open door at the two. "Take care of each other, okay? Be safe!" Hikari just waved not having time to reply before they were out of sight.

* * *

The two had made it to Sandgem Town in no time at all at Jun's pace. He strode briskly into Kouki's house, while Hikari barely managed to stumble inside, collapsing into a chair. She panted heavily, fanning herself with her hand. "I…should be…used to this by now…" 

Jun looked around, oblivious to Hikari's exhaustion. He cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting into the empty room. "Yo, Kouki! Where are you? We're gonna miss the tram!"

Kouki appeared moments later at the top of the stairs, struggling to drag a huge, overstuffed suitcase down the stairs. "I think…I may have…packed a little too much…Whoops!" The bag managed to gain momentum and tumbled down the stairs, tripping Kouki on its rocky journey. Kouki lifted his face from the stairs, looking down at the carnage below. His case had exploded, clothes sprawled everywhere. "…Shoot."

Hikari suppressed a giggle with her hand; Jun just sighed, becoming antsy again. She stood, starting to pick up clothes as she made her way to the open pack. "I think you need to pack a little lighter, Kouki. We're only going to be gone for a week."

He laughed sheepishly, grabbing bundles of clothes off the steps. "I think you may be right."

Already impatient with the pace the two were going, Jun zoomed around the room, picking up the rest of the clothes and dumping them haphazardly into the open case, doing the same with Kouki's and Hikari's bundles. He managed to force the case shut on his first try, tossing the cumbersome burden into Kouki's arms. He picked up his own case, opening the front door. "Come on, you two! I'll fine you both a _hundred_ thousand yen if we're late!" He sped out the door.

Hikari sighed, her and Kouki following the energetic boy at a more subdued pace.

Kouki chuckled at Jun's antics, turning to Hikari. "How do you deal with it? He always seems to be in such a rush."

Hikari sighed again, smiling. "He's always been like this, even when we were little. You just learn to cope. He'll calm down when we get on the train."

* * *

Hikari's prediction was right. They arrived in Jubilife City before noon, almost an hour before the train even left. They ate a small lunch before boarding the train, finally on their way to their destination. They were headed for Snowpoint City for a week of much need relaxation after their journeys. Dr. Nanakamado had given them an all-expense paid trip to Snowpoint Plateau, a ski resort in Snowpoint City, a surprising act of thanks toward the three young trainers from the man. 

Jun stared out the window, his face lit up. "Wow…This tram is so cool! The doctor really dished out, didn't he?"

Hikari sat next to him, sipping a can of lemonade. "I'm just thankful for the vacation. All that battling had me beat!"

Kouki, sitting across from the two, looked at her curiously. "Had you been getting a lot of challenges? You are the Champion now."

She sat her drink next to her, shuddering. "It was horrible! Everyday I'd have a new gaggle of trainers at my door wanting to battle! Always to battle! Never to chat, or anything!" She sighed. "I eventually sent them all to Jun, just for a break!"

Jun looked pleased. "It was a lot of fun! Not one of them could beat me!" He lifted up his hand, Hikari giving him a high-five.

She took another sip of her lemonade. "The numbers began to thin out a bit after that. This was a good opportunity for me to escape for a bit and recover."

Jun patted her back roughly, pouting a bit. "Oh come on! You sound like an old lady! You can't go on a vacation like this and just 'recover!' This is a good opportunity to train, or at least have a little fun!" He shook her by the shoulder. "Go out and live a little like you did before you were Champion!"

Hikari pushed him, smiling. "Who said I wasn't going to have some fun? That's what a vacation's for!" She sighed happily, holding her head in her hands. "A ski resort…Just imagine the luxury of it all! A hotel room, hot cocoa, the guys…" Jun snorted, trying hard not to burst into laughter. Hikari was not amused; she reached up and pulled him by his cheek.

"Oww, oww, oww! I'm sorry, Kari, I'm sorry!" After one last tug, she left go of him, huffing.

Kouki chuckled at the display, sipping his own drink. "This should be fun."

The three arrived at the resort a little before nightfall. They dragged their bags inside, stopping to admire the building. It had a rustic feel to it; the whole room was reminiscent of a log cabin. Of to the side was a lounge area, series of fireplaces lining the walls. They checked in at the front desk and headed upstairs to their rooms, Hikari getting a suite to herself and the boys sharing the other. The rooms were more modernized than the rest of the hotel. Plush carpet covered the floor and the walls were painted the color of burnt clay. Each suite came with their own bathroom, equipped with a luxurious Jacuzzi. Both room's were equipped with mini fridges, and a TV. Hikari's room had a bonus: a window looking down at the lush forest below.

After the trio were done unpacking, the meet up for dinner on of the lodge's many restaurants.

Jun absently played with his fork on his already empty plate. "So, what are the for plans tomorrow?"

Kouki, who had yet to even touch his food, had a brochure open in front of him. "It doesn't look like there are any activities planned tomorrow…"

The blond boy dropped his fork, looking up at the ceiling. "Well, I guess I could train a bit."

Hikari stopped in mid-bite, putting her fork down. She glared at Jun from across the table. "Oh, no. I don't even want to hear the word 'training.' This is a vacation, remember? You're supposed to relax!"

Jun blew a hair out of his face. "Okay, Grandma." An ice cube nailed him right in the face; he looked up at Hikari, who was innocently eating a piece of food, looking away from him.

Kouki interrupted before Jun could arm himself, talking to Hikari. "So, instead of training, why don't we let our Pokémon enjoy the vacation a bit? We could let them out for a bit of fun.

She put down her fork, smiling widely. "That's a great idea! Jun has been looking a little run down after all those battles, anyways."

Kouki looked to Jun, confused. The blond boy only shook his head, looking put-upon. "She nicknamed her Infernape 'Jun.' "

She giggled. "I think it fits. You are a bit of a monkey."

He smirked. "And that's why I nicknamed my Rapidash 'Hikari,' because you're so stubborn." This time he managed to reflect her ice cube with his plate, still grinning impishly. "And hot-headed."

She sniffed, giving up on harming the boy and went back to eating her food. "It does sound like a good idea, though. Even Pokémon could use a vacation once and a while."

Kouki nodded. "They'll probably appreciate a day of fun. It'll get there spirits up." He finally put the brochure down, looking down at his plate. "…Didn't I have a piece of chocolate cake?" Both he and Hikari immediately turned to Jun, who looked back at them innocently.

"What? I though he was done!"

* * *

They finished up their meal and headed upstairs. Hikari stopped in front of her door, looking back at the other two. "So, we'll meet up in the morning and take the Pokémon out for some fun. Don't sleep in too late." She looked specifically at Jun when she said this. She slipped inside her room. 

Jun stuck his tongue out at the closed door before he entered his own, Kouki following behind him. He plopped onto his bed, rolling around. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight! I'm so excited."

Taking off his hat and scarf, Kouki sat down on the other bed, chuckling at Jun. "You better try, or Hikari will get you!"

"Oh, psh! I don't know what she's talking about. I'm always up before her anyways."

Kouki looked a bit surprised. "Really? You seem like the type to sleep in."

Jun hugged his pillow, looking at Kouki over the top of it. "I don't have the patience to sleep in all day! Hikari's the one who you should be worried about."

"You two seem really close."

Jun rolled around a few more times. "Well, yeah. We've been best friend since I can remember."

Kouki looked away, staring at the ceiling. "That's nice."

Jun wasn't completely oblivious to other's distress. He sat up, starring at Kouki. "What's the matter?"

The dark haired boy smiled, waving a hand. "Oh, its nothing. Nothing at all."

Jun was unconvinced, continuing to stare the other boy down.

"Really. It's nothing." He slipped under the blankets, not even bothering to change his clothes. "I'm going to bed. Good night."

Unsatisfied, Jun snorted. "Okay. Good night." Despite his excitement, Jun slipped on his pajamas, burrowing under his covers. In mere minutes, he was sound asleep snoring softly.

Kouki, on the other hand, found a bit more trouble sleeping. He stared at the wall, melancholy washing over him.

* * *

A/N: Hmm...I should be working on my other stories instead of making new ones to not finish...But, I couldn't help myself! Twinleafshipping was calling me! I had a hard time with the names...First, I couldn't decide on English or Japanese, then when I picked Japanese, I didn't know if I should go with all the names in Japanese, like the Pokemon and the towns. But, I thought that would be too confusing, so now it's just the names. For you who don't know, HikariDawnMs. Berlitzgirl from Diamond and Pearl games, JunDamionPearlblond rival from the Diamond and Pearl games, KoukiLucasDiamondboy from Diamond and Pearl games. 


	2. Cold

Hikari was reluctant to open her eyes, wanting to stay nestled in the warm sheets. Finally she sighed, blinking against the light as she forced herself into a sitting position She looked over at the clock, sighing again. It was 7:09 am, too early for a girl on a vacation to be waking up! Nevertheless, she hoisted herself out of bed, shuffling to the bathroom. Grabbing her toothbrush out of her bag, she began brushing her teeth, blue eyes staring quizzically at the blue eyes in the mirror. The quiet was refreshing; no one was banging at her door, asking for a fight, no mother to fret over her, no one wanting anything. Just herself. She could set the pace, she could choose what to do. She smiled, rinsing her mouth out. She could get used to it.

She took more time than usual to get ready, washing her face until it was pink, taking time to brush every kink out of her hair until it was silky smooth, then flipping it up into a messy bun on the top of her head. She dressed warm, changing into a pink sweater with a black vest and black pants, her red scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. She grabbed her pink belt and buckled it around her waist, her Pokéballs already strapped tight to it. Slipping on her boots, she opened her door to head out into the hallway. However, someone was already there, Hikari running into them.

"Oh! You're already up." She looked up at the person she had run into. Jun had his hand raised as if to knock on the open air, looking down at Hikari. He backed away from her, allowing her out into the hallway.

Hikari closed the door, making sure it was locked. "Why wouldn't I be up?"

Jun shrugged, smiling. "I figured you'd try to sleep in." He had dressed warm as well, wearing a black sweater underneath his normal orange-and-white stripped jacket.

She was slightly offended by the comment, even though she knew it to be true. She reached up and ruffled Jun hair, the blond squeaking at the action.

"Hey! It takes a lot of time to get my hair like this!" He patted his bangs down desperately, although he still couldn't keep a smile off his face.

Hikari smiled devilishly, looking around him. "Where's Kouki?"

"Huh? Oh, he already headed downstairs. I was supposed to get you for breakfast." As if on cue, Jun's stomach growled, causing the boy to laugh sheepishly.

Hikari smiled. "Well let's go! I don't want the food getting cold."

Jun smile grew larger; he grabbed the girl by the wrist and dragged her down the hallway, the prospect of food spurring him on.

* * *

Hikari was dragged all the way down to the table, Jun dumping her there to go raid the breakfast buffet. She sighed, taking a seat to regain her breath. Kouki, a plate already in front of him, chuckled. "Good morning. Did you take a morning jog, or something?"

She smiled, watching Jun pile things on his plate. "Not voluntarily." She turned to Kouki. "Did you have a good sleep? You look a little tired."

She had got Kouki mid yawn; he closed his mouth, smiling. "I guess you could say that." He rubbed an eye with the back of his hand. "Jun woke me up at the crack of dawn…I don't know how he can be so chipper in the morning."

Hikari found herself yawning, Kouki's fatigue infectious. "I don't know. I wish I knew his secret, though."

Jun rushed back to the table, balancing a overloaded plate in one hand, and a plate balanced on top of a glass of orange juice in the other. He sat the loaded plate in front of him and the smaller plate along with the orange juice in front of Hikari. "There! All your favorites!"

Hikari looked at the plate, her mouth watering at the array of food. "Thank you!"

He smiled, pulling out his chair. As soon as he made contact with the seat, he began shoveling food into his mouth, both Kouki and Hikari watching him wide-eyed.

Kouki shook his head, nibbling on a piece of bacon. "I don't know if I should be amazed or appalled…"

"I'm amazed he stays as skinny as he does." She took a sip of her orange juice, feeling a twinge of jealousy. "I wish I could eat that much and not worry about gaining weight."

The other boy shrugged, finishing up his bacon. "He probably burns off all of that before noon, at the pace he goes."

Hikari giggled, nodding in agreement. "Maybe that's his secret."

Jun frowned, a biscuit poking out of his mouth. "Ya gaish hak lik um nah wai hurr." His unintelligible comment only incited more laughter from the two. He tried to swallow the biscuit, managing to get the food lodged in his throat. He coughed madly, banging at his chest.

Hikari shook her head, handing Jun her glass of orange juice. He drained the whole thing, sighing in relief. She grabbed the cup from his hand, smirking. "If you weren't such a glutton, you wouldn't have this problem!"

Jun continued to eat, glaring at the girl. "I'm a growing boy! I need food!"

The girl continued to smirk, starting to eat her own food. "_You're_ eating like you're a grown Snorlax."

The boy put down the piece of bacon he was about to consume, turning slowly to the girl. Now, it was war. "At least I'm eating healthy, Miss I-can't-go-to-bed-without-a-chocolate-bar."

Hikari put down her fork, returning the boys glare. "What does it matter if it's healthy if you eat it in tons? I don't think that's the healthiest thing to do. One day you're going to wake up and actually look like a Snorlax, too!"

"Well, if I do, I can always work it off! It's called exercise. Of course, you wouldn't know about that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh please! The most exercise you get is walking downstairs to your chocolate hoard!"

"Pig!"

"Bum!"

Kouki watched the two fight, a smile plastered on his face. He looked down at his plate, picking at the food. Unexplainable envy settled at the bottom of his stomach. He felt out of place in their world. Why did it cause him to feel so envious to watch them fight?

"Kouki?"

He looked up suddenly, both of them looking worriedly at him. "Huh? Oh what?"

Hikari spoke up, looking at him with concern. "Um, I just asked if you were ready to go?"

Kouki smiled, standing up. "Oh, yes. I'm ready."

Jun smiled, flexing. "Okay! Let's go, guys!" He skipped his way out of the lounge, humming happily to himself.

"Kouki…" Hikari walked up to the boy, gently touching his arm. "Are you okay?"

Kouki smiled at her. "I'm fine."

Hikari continued to stare up at him, a slight frown on her face. "Are you sure?"

He nodded, the smile remaining unchanged. "I'm sure." He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, slipping it over his black sweater, readjusting his red scarf around his neck. He began to head out of the lounge, and then stopped, looking back at Hikari. "Come one. If we don't hurry up, Jun will have all our money."

"Y-Yeah." She rushed after him, the two heading outside.

* * *

"Jun, your going to get a cold." Hikari and Kouki watched the boy pile up snowballs, huddled together and shivering in their heavy coats against a pine tree, while the blond whistled contentedly in only his sweater and jacket.

He looked over at the two, grinning hugely. "If you guys don't move, you'll never warm up!" His face was devilish as his mass of snowy weapons of destruction grew larger.

"Jun, you're being stupid­­・" A wet blob struck the girl square on the face, sliding slowly into her jacket. Rambunctious laughed burst from the blond at Hikari's disgusted face; even Kouki couldn't stifle a chuckle or two before her glare silenced him.

Hikari gritted her teeth, both against the cold seeping in her jacket and her anger. Wordlessly, she gathered up her own ammo. While the blond was distracted with his uncontrollable laughter, she flung her snowball, hitting him on the side of the face. He was instantly silenced, wiping the snowy remains off his cheek. A smile grew on his face. "Now, it's on." He picked up another snowball casually, then quick as lightning, hurled it at the girl.

However, Hikari was quicker. She threw a Pokéball, smirking. "Lopunny! Counter!" The Pokémon immediately obeyed, and Jun found himself with more snow dripping down his face.

He shook his head out like a dog, pouting a bit. "No fair, bringing your Pokémon into this!"

Her smirk only grew. "Hey, this day was for them, wasn't it?" The boy attempted to lob another snowy mass at her; the Pokémon countered it without a command from Hikari, squeaking in delight. The snowball veered off course a bit, and instead of hitting Jun, hitting Kouki. Hikari and Jun laughed together at his astonished face.

"Hey! Why am I a part of this?" He gathered up his own snowball, flinging it at Jun, who managed to dodge.

"Why are you throwing it at me? She's the one who hit you!"

He gathered another ball together, this time managing to hit the other boy. "It was your snowball in the first place!"

Hikari giggled, lobbing another one at Jun. "You can't argue with that logic!"

Jun dove under the protection of his snowball wall, peaking above it when the assault ended. "Two against one? No fair!" He tossed a handful of Pokéballs in the air, a whole party of Pokémon backing him up. "Use Earthquake, Snorlax!" The huge Pokémon yawned, flopping down onto its back. The ground began to rumble, causing the tree Hikari and Kouki were standing under to rain snow on their heads.

Hikari, Kouki, and the Lopunny dug their way out of the snow, Jun cackling the whole time. Kouki grabbed his own Pokéball. "Alakazam! Psychic!" A huge chunk of the snow pile they had crawled out of lifted into the air, floating toward Jun. The ball lifted high over the boy's head, then suddenly came hurdling toward the earth, dropping onto his head.

Both sides stared at each other before bursting into laughter, a silent truce called between them. The rest of the Pokémon were let out of their Pokéballs to enjoy their vacation. Hikari's Pachirisu and Lopunny joined Kouki's Clefairy in a game of tag; her Gyarados, along with Jun's Empoleon, began to make tunnels through the snow as if it they were in water. Some of the other Pokémon huddled around Hikari's Infernape and Jun's Rapidash as if they were bonfires; Jun's Staraptor and Hikari's Noctowl took to the skies. Soon after they were let out, Jun recalled his Roserade and Heracross, while Kouki recalled his Toterra, the Pokémon not taking well to the cold.

The trainers stood back and watch their Pokémon enjoy their vacation, chatting amongst themselves.

Hikari turned to Kouki, her face flushed with happiness. "This was a great idea, Kouki! The Pokémon look as if they're having a lot of fun."

Kouki's face grew hot at her enthusiasm. He laughed nervously, looking away from her. "Heh heh…I just though the Pokémon would enjoy having a little vacation of their own. Although…" He looked a Jun, who was currently trying to figure out where his Empoleon would immerge from the snow next. The Pokémon leapt out of the right behind the boy, sailing over him into the snow. Jun shouted, running after the Pokémon. "…I think Jun might be enjoying himself the most."

Hikari laughed, watching the blond boy as well. "Well, Jun's not the type to do anything half-heartedly, work or play." She watched as the boy disappeared from sight, falling down one of the tunnels the water Pokémon had created. "I just wish he would think things through a little more."

Kouki chuckled as Jun crawled his way out of the hole, running after an amused looking Empoleon. "He leaps before he thinks." The boy's face grew melancholic. "It's a bit admirable, actually."

"You think so?" The blond boy finally caught up with the Pokémon, leaping onto its back. Both Pokémon and boy disappeared under the snow, popping up at random intervals with Jun laughing madly. Hikari sighed. "I'm just worried he's really going to screw up one of these days."

Kouki looked down at her, smiling. "If he does, you'll be there to pick him up."

Hikari smiled up at the boy. "That's what best friends do."

Jun ran up to the two, panting and laughing. "You guys have to try that! It's so much fun!" His face was pink from the cold, snow matted all over his body.

Hikari dusted some of the snow of the boy, giggling. "I'll take your word on it."

Jun wouldn't take no for an answer; he grabbed the girl by the arm, dragging her over to the Pokémon. He picked her up and sat her on her Gyarados, the Pokémon immediately taking off when she was seated. When they popped back up from the snow, Hikari was laughing uncontrollably, her face lit up. Empoleon and Gyarados dove through the snow, twisting and curling around each other.

Something tugged at Kouki's jacket; he looked down, staring into the big eyes of his Clefairy. The pink Pokémon tilted her head to the side, looking up a Kouki. "Fairy?"

Kouki knelt down, petting Clefairy on the head. "I'm okay. Why don't you go off and play some more?" Reluctantly the Pokémon left, looking back at Kouki a few times.

"Kouki! Stop being a party pooper!" Jun ran up to Kouki, his Empoleon trailing behind. "Come on! You're missing out on all the fun!" He pointed to the penguin. "You can hop on Empoleon!"

Kouki smiled, shaking his head. "Nah, I think I'll pass."

Jun pouted, his shoulders drooping. "But it's fun!"

"What's the matter?" Hikari hopped off of her Gyarados, running up to the two boys.

Jun pointed an accusing finger at Kouki. "Kouki won't try it!

Hikari shook her head, smiling. "He's probably too smart to try something like that."

Jun stared at her. "Are you implying something?"

She laughed, running next to Kouki. "No, of course not! I'm not implying you're immature, or anything of the sort!" She grabbed Kouki by the arm, dragging him away from Jun. "Come on, Kouki! Let's go play with the Pokémon!"

"O-Okay!"

Jun ran after them, fuming. "HEY!"

* * *

"101 degrees…What did I tell you?" Hikari sat on the edge of Jun bed, holding a thermometer between her fingers. She pulled the covers up over the boys thin frame, frowning. "Next time, please listen to what I tell you!"

The boy coughed, his eyes closed. "It's…nothing a little sleep won't fix."

Hikari wiped sweat of his face with a towel, sighing. "You wouldn't have to sleep it off if you just listened to me!"

He weakly waved a hand at her, smiling. "That's not my style, Kari."

"I'm back." Kouki walked in the door, setting some things on the table. "I got ice, and some soup." He walked up to the bed, looking a Jun. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm fine!" The blond coughed, clutching his side.

Kouki shook his head, smiling gently. "That's not what I would call, 'fine.'"

Hikari grabbed the bowl of soup, sitting it on the nightstand next to Jun's bed. "Sit up." The boy obeyed, leaning his head against the wall. She dipped at spoon into the broth, blowing on it to cool it down. "Say, 'Aaaah.'"

The blond blushed, looking away from her. "I can feed myself!"

She huffed, looking hurt. "Will you just do what I ask once? Please?"

The boy looked back at her, his face flushed. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth, the girl feeding him the spoonful. She repeated the process several times, looking back at Kouki. "Could you get some towels ready, please?" He nodded, walking into the bathroom.

The bowl was finished up shortly, Hikari placing a wet towel on Jun's head. "Now, get some rest, please. Kouki, make sure he doesn't overdo it, okay?" She grabbed her bag, opening the door. "I'm going back to my room now. If you need anything, don't be afraid to wake me up. Good night, guys." She shut the door behind her.

Jun sighed, squirming to get under his blankets. Kouki began cleaning up the room, picking up the bowl from Jun's nightstand. "Hikari really helped out. I didn't know she was so good at this kind of thing."

Jun pouted, adjusting the towel on his head. "She didn't have to do all of that…It's just a cold."

Kouki smiled. "It's probably just her nature. She's a really caring girl, isn't she?"

Jun sighed. "She's wonderful…" Jun gasped, his eyes widening. "I mean, she's really good at this kind of thing!" The boy coughed, his excitement getting to him.

Kouki patted the boys back, shaking his head. "Your going to get me in trouble if you don't settle down! You need your rest."

Jun flopped back down on the bed, red-faced. "Y-Yeah…" He ran a hand through his hair, strange thoughts running through his head. "…Maybe the cold's making me delusional…"

"Hmm?" Kouki walked back from the bathroom, changed into his pajamas. "You say something?"

"N-no…It's nothing." He flung the blanket's over his head, hiding his face.

Kouki stared at the blond hair peaking out from the top of the blanket, an eyebrow rising curiously. "Are you sure? You looked kind of flushed.

"It's nothing!"

"If you say so…" The boy sat down on his bed, sipping a glass of water. "…Hey, Jun?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of Hikari?"

Jun flung up, staring at the boy as if he had seen a ghost, his face beet red. "I-I think she's bossy, over-protective, and…lazy!"

Kouki chuckled to himself, looking away from the boy slyly. "Sure, sure…"

"Wait! You're taking in the wrong way! It's true!" Jun retreated back under his covers, turning his back to Kouki. "I-I'm going to go to sleep. Night!"

"Good night." The other boys face fell, tracing his finger around the tip of his glass. What he suspected was true…So, how could it work out without someone getting hut? He sighed softly, turning off the lights.

* * *

A/N Ooooo? Do I smell drama? Wait...Maybe I just need a bath...Anyways, so this story is so easy to write! Very fun and uplifting! Not much I need to say, is there? Anyone know of any events that people do at ski resorts?

Anyways, Please R&R!


	3. Jealousy

Jun's words proved true; a good night's rest did do wonders on the boy. He was healthy and as chipper as ever when morning rolled around, banging on Hikari's door. "Hiikaarii! Wake up, sleepy head!"

The door opened slowly, revealing a groggy Hikari. Her hair was a matted mess; she hadn't even changed out of her pink, Jigglypuff patterned flannel pajamas. Jun had no shame, immediately bursting out in boisterous laugher at her appearance.

Hikari just yawned, rubbing her eyes with the back of a hand. "Jun? Whadya want?"

He wiped a tear from his eyes, trying to keep the amusement from his face. "Whadya mean, 'Whadya want?' I'm here to get you, _princess_! Come one!"

She looked back into her room, spotting the clock. "It's not even 7 o clock yet!"

He pouted a bit, looking disappointed. "But, Kari! The early bird catches the worm!"

"Well this bird rather be late. I'm going back to bed." Before she could shut the door, he caught her wrist. "Come oooon! Why are you wasting your time sleeping? We get to go on a super cool vacation, and you want to sleep in? We'll probably never get an opportunity like this again!"

She turned around slowly, staring at his puppy-dog pout. After a moment she sighed, defeated. "…Alright. You've made a good point. What are you suggesting we do?"

He dropped her wrist, looking thoughtful. "Well, we are at a ski resort! Why don't we ski?"

Hikari looked stricken; she gulped, scratching her cheek. "S-ski?"

"Yeah!" He took in her nervous expression, patting her on the shoulder cheerfully. "Don't worry, Kari! Skiing's easy! You'll be fine!" He turned away from her, heading down the hall. "We'll be waiting for you in the lounge!" He waved a hand at her, disappearing from sight.

She waved weakly back, a hole growing in the pit of her stomach as she closed her door. "Skiing, huh…" Hikari wasn't exactly clumsy, but if her experiences with skating were any indication, she could imagine how pleasant an experience skiing would be. She leaned heavily against the door, rubbing her cheeks. "_'A girl falls to her death while skiing at Snowpoint…'_ I think I'm going to be sick…"

* * *

After they had finished their breakfast, they headed out to the ski lifts. Hikari dragged her feet the whole way, acting as if she was going to her own funeral.

"Hikari? Are you okay?" Kouki looked at her, concerned.

Hikari laughed sheepishly, waving her hands in denial. "I-I'm perfectly peachy! Absolutely nothing's wrong with me! Nope, not me! I couldn't be happier!" 

Kouki eyebrows rose at her zealous response. "R-right."

Jun just laughed, cheerful as ever. He was wearing his orange winter jacket to appease Hikari. "Hikari's is just nervous, since she sucks at stuff like this."

Hikari glared, punching him on the shoulder roughly. "T-that's not true!"

He hissed in pain, but the smile remained on his lips. "It's nothing to be ashamed about! You can't be good at everything, I guess."

Kouki nodded, trying to distract Hikari from taking her anger out on Jun again. "He's right. You get used to it after a while. It just takes practice."

Momentarily distracted from her bloodlust, she looked at Kouki curiously. "Have _you _skied before, Kouki?"

The boy scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Well, yeah. A few times, actually." He was thoughtful for a moment. "My mother used to love the snow, so we would come up here all the time for vacation."

Both Jun and Hikari looked surprised, glancing at each other before turning back to Kouki. "Really?!" They both spoke in unison.

Kouki's face began to grow hot with embarrassment. "Y-yeah. But after she passed away, we just stopped coming. Father was too busy with helping the Doctor." The three fell silent, immersed in their own thoughts.

When they finally made it to the rental booth, Jun picked out a snowboard while Kouki helped Hikari pick and mount a pair of skis. The process took a bit longer than it should have; Hikari had to force a helmet on Jun's head despite his claims that he was fine without one. After a few unsuccessful attempts at getting on the lifts by Hikari, the three of them were on their way to the top of the mountain.

Hikari looked down at the mountain, gripping onto the arm of the lift chair. "Do you…Do you think it's going to be okay? I mean, this hill…"

Kouki laughed, looking at the hill as well. "You'll be fine. We're on the bunny-hill, so it's not really that steep." He flashed her a comforting smiling. "You'll learn in no time, I promise."

She looked back down at the snow, gulping. "I・I hope so…"

In a matter of minutes the were at the top of the hill. Hikari wobbled on her skis, her arms waving frantically as she struggled to keep her balance. "Woah!" She flung her head forward, trying to keep from falling backward. The plan backfired, and she teetered forward. Before she could fall, Kouki managed to grab her by the waist with his free arm, his other hand preoccupied with his poles. 

"Gotcha!" He helped her straighten out, gripping her forearm to keep her steady. "You should of grabbed some poles before we let for the hill."

She squawked, indignant. "I've never done this before! I didn't know I needed them!"

Kouki thought for a moment. "Here." He slipped his hands out of the straps of his own poles. "Use mine."

Hikari looked at the poles, frowning. "But, don't you need them?"

He flashed her his sheepish smile. "I'll manage."

Hikari grabbed the poles reluctantly, wrapping her hands around the straps. Again, she began to teeter dangerously backwards, only this time she managed to steady herself on her own with the poles. A smile brightened her face; even such a small thing as not falling on her butt by her own power excited her. It was much better than her skating experiences already.

Kouki smiled at her, gladdened by her happiness. Slowly, he began to brief her on the aspects of skiing, helping her through all the steps. Hikari was finally able to move down the hill at a snails pace. Following what Kouki had told her, she turned her skis inward, making a V shape, and managed to stop on her own. She let out a victorious shot, turning around and beaming at Kouki. 

The boy smiled back encouragingly, gracefully skiing up to her. "See? Skiing isn't so bad."

Suddenly, a shower of snow blew into the two's faces; Jun, free of any snow, grinned mischievously, balanced skillfully on his snowboard.

"Jun!" Hikari shook head, try to rid herself of the snow. It was a bad decision on her part; poles or no poles, she lost her balance. Helpless on her back, Hikari began to slide backward down the hill at an alarming pace. Jun managed to leap on top of the girl's legs before she slipped away, digging his snowboard into the snow to stop their descent. 

A smile still lit his face, albeit a sheepish one. "Sorry, Kari." The blond help her get to her feet, hopping back onto his board.

Kouki skied up to them, his expression worried. "Are you okay, Hikari?"

The girl took a calming breath. "I guess." She glared a bit a Jun, who only met her gaze innocently. "And you wonder why I don't like skating with you."

"Is it because you have no skill?"

His angelic expression was the only think keeping Hikari from punching Jun in the face. "No," which was a lie, "it's because you always make me look like a complete fool!"

He tilted his head to the side, making Hikari think of a puppy. "Really?" He seemed genuinely clueless. "I never noticed."

Hikari sighed. "Of course you wouldn't. You never take a moment to think about things."

"That's true. Thinking wastes valuable time!" His smile returned.

Kouki interjected, trying to get off the subject before Jun said something to upset Hikari again. "How did you learn how to snowboard so well, Jun?"

Jun scratched his head, thinking. "Well, when I came up here to get my badge, I thought it looked fun, so I borrowed a board from a trainer and started teaching myself." He grinned at the memory. "It made for some awesome training!"

Kouki shook his head, trying in vain to wrap his head around what Jun's training methods were.

Jun snapped back into the present, fidgeting from lack of movement. "Well, let's go guys! We want to make it to the bottom of the hill before nightfall, don't we?" Without waiting for a conformation from the two, he started down the hill. "A billion yen from the person who makes it last down the hill!"

Hikari grimaced. "That would probably be me." She started to pull herself forward with her poles. "Come on, Kouki!"

* * *

After a long day of skiing, the three young trainers sat around one of the many fireplaces, sipping hot chocolate. Hikari was content; by the end of the day, she could make it down the slopes by herself without falling on her face. She was even able to move on to the harder slopes Of course, she was no where near Kouki's or Jun's skill level, but as Jun said, she couldn't be good at everything.

However, no matter how productive her day had been at expanding her horizons, it did have its downsides. Her whole body ached from the workout. She grimaced a bit as she readjusted herself on the couch, her aching muscles screaming at the small effort

Jun and Kouki seemed completely unaffected by their skiing expedition. They laughed together, moving easily and without pain. Hikari had to stop herself from glaring jealously at them. Instead, she focused on the snow outside. It had increased significantly since they had headed inside. She wondered vaguely if they would get stuck in a blizzard. It would give her a little more free time.

"So, what do you guys want to do for the rest of the night?" Kouki held the steaming cup to his mouth, enjoying the smell.

Jun had long finished his cup; he was currently balancing it on his head. "I dunno."

Hikari grimaced as she sat up, rubbing her legs. "As long as it doesn't involve moving, I'm fine with it." She wished fervently for a massage, or a hot bath—

She straightened suddenly, causing herself to yelp. The boys looked at her, confused. "Why don't we visit the hot springs?"

Jun's eyebrows rose. "The hot springs?"

Hikari nodded, excited. "Yeah! We could even let the Pokémon enjoy them! It'll be fun!"

Jun's face was sour. "That doesn't sound very exciting to me. All you do is boil yourself in some hot water."

"It sounds fine to me." Kouki took a sip of his hot chocolate. "Part of a vacation is a little relaxation, and I can't think of anything more relaxing than a hot springs!"

Jun snorted. "That's not MY definition of a vacation."

"You definition of a vacation is working your butt off. My definition is a little R&R." The girl stood slowly, wincing. "Well, now that that's settled…" she received another snort from Jun, "let's go!"

* * *

If Hikari thought the hotel itself was beautiful, then the hot springs had to be on a different level. They were designed in the tradition Japanese fashion. Bamboo was everywhere, and the rock basin itself was huge. The boy's and girl's side were separated by a thin bamboo fence. Hikari hugged her towel close to her and stepped into the water, feeling self-conscious even though she was the only one in the springs at the time. The female Pokémon in the party followed her; Pachirisu, Lopunny, Gyarados, Clefairy, and Empoleon jumped in the water with a little more vigor than herself. Jun's Rapidash stood next to the pool, soaking up the steam coming from the water.

She heard splashing from the other side; Jun's laughter rose above all the other sounds.

"Hey Kari!" Jun shouted over the wall. "You were right! This is fun!" He climbed out the water, running up to his Snorlax. He climbed up the great bulk, making it to the Pokémon's stomach. Using its stomach as a springboard, he jumped into the pool, splashing Kouki.

Kouki wiped the water from his eyes, spiting up some water. "I don't think that's a good idea Jun…This water isn't very deep."

The blond shook his head like a dog, his hair drooping comically. "Ah, it's fine! Lighten up a bit, Kouki!" Jun smirked. "You know you want to try it!"

Kouki waved his hands in front of him, laughing sheepishly. "No, I-I'll pass." 

"Suit yourself!" Jun splashed the boy, laughing.

Hikari sighed, enjoying listening to the boys in peaceful silence. She watched the Pokémon splash around, half-way wanting to join them. But that wouldn't be the _dignified_ thing to do in a hot springs. Besides, her muscles still ached. She rubbed the warm water on her arms, the heat easing the pain slowly.

A splash war had erupted on the other side of the fence. It was Jun and Lucario against Kouki and Alakazam; the rest of the Pokémon sat on the side-lines, cheering for their favorite side. Jun was winning with his enthusiasm, but Kouki's Alakazam had an advantage with its psychic powers. Wave after wave knocked Jun and Lucario down; the blond turned back to his other Pokémon. "Come on, guys! Can't you lend us a hand?"

Most of his other Pokémon were reluctant to enter the water, since it wasn't their element. However, one bulking Pokémon slowly got to its feet, lumbering over to the edge of the pool. Slowly, Jun realized what the Snorlax was planning to do. "No, Snorlax, WAIT!"

It was too late; the Pokémon was already in the air. Hikari, who was leaning against the fence on the other side, stood at Jun's shout, only to have the wall knock her in the air as the force of the tidal wave ripped the weak bamboo apart. For a few terrible moments, Hikari was spiraling wildly under the water, then something rammed into her chest and she was gasping for breath, washed up on the stone ground.

It turned out the thing that rammed into her was Kouki, carried from the other side on the wave. He was lying on top of the girl, coughing up water. He got up on his hands, looking down at the girl. "I'm so sorry, Hika­—" He froze, his face turning beet red. Hikari had lost her towel in the tidal wave. The girl realized this too, and shrieked. Kouki quickly stumbled off her, holding his hands over his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" 

The girl frantically tried to cover herself up, but the female Pokémon came to her rescue. They crowded around her, hiding her from view. The small Clefairy brought Hikari her towel; she quickly wrapped it tightly around herself, running out of the hot springs. Kouki remained on the ground, his face still red. Jun stood on the other side, a strange expression on his face. Without a word, he walked out of the springs, leaving his worried Pokémon behind.

* * *

Hikari curled up under her blankets, her mind in turmoil. Kouki had been on top of her…and she was naked on top that! She groaned, feeling her face grow hot once again that night. It had to be the most embarrassing thing she had ever suffered through…He saw her naked! She didn't want anyone to see her naked, especially not a boy. Hell, even Jun­—

She sat up suddenly, a thought crossing her mind. Did that mean Jun saw her too? And with Kouki on top of her, no doubt! She whined again, burying her face in her pillow. She and Jun had been through a lot through the years, but the though of him seeing her like _that_…But why did the thought of Jun seeing her like that upset her more than the fact that Kouki had seen her naked? She pulled at her bangs, willing herself to go to sleep to make the thoughts go away, yet dreading the morning with every fiber of her being.

* * *

**A/N: Eheh...I'm sorry it took so long, guys...I really didn't have any excuse not to update, except for the fact that I'm a lazy bastard. XD But, hey! Maybe it wouldn't have turned out the same way if I finished it when I had set out too! -hopeful stare-**

** Is Kouki's mom really dead? I dun know, but in my story she is. P:**

**Neeways, the seeds of conflict have been Leech Seeded! ;D I hope you like it! I'll try to get the next one out faster. Had to bump up the rating because of that last scene. XD**


	4. Flee

**A/N: Just going to address a few questions up here for you guys. :D The reason I don't use the Japanese names for everything, is because it would be too confusing. I, for one, don't the Japanese names for all the towns and Pokemon, so I figured a lot of you don't either. I just use the Japanese names for the characters, because, honestly, I like the name Jun better than Damion or Barry. XD And, I doubt I'll be able to place Kenny/Kengo in here, because I don't watch Diamond and Pearl that much. I might put him in as a side-character, but not as another love interest. XD Sorry, and enjoy!**

* * *

Hikari opened her eyes, feeling as if she hadn't slept a wink. A glance at the clock told her otherwise; however, she had woken up much earlier than usual. Unable to get back to sleep and not wanting to wallow in her thoughts, Hikari trudged out of bed, slipping in the shower for a long, hot bath. She let the warm water clear her mind, washing away all the negative emotions still lingering after the unfortunate hot springs event.

She brushed and blow-dried her hair, and after a moment of debate, decided to leave it down. A glance outside told her that there would be no skiing today; the snow had picked up considerably from the previous night. She couldn't see anything through the swirling blizzard.

Hikari dressed quickly, sliding into a baby-blue turtleneck sweater and a brown, knee length skirt over blue tights. It wasn't like she was going to be going out, anyways. She debated on wearing her scarf for a moment. Shrugging, she wrapped it around her neck, figuring if it could get her through Pokémon battles, then it surely could get her through this. She clipped on her belt with her Pokéballs and tugged on her brown boots, headed for the door.

Déjà vu washed over her as she bumped into someone on her way to the hallway. However, when she looked up, it wasn't Jun she was staring at.

"Oh, s–sorry, Hikari." Kouki looked down at her, face slightly flushed. "I was about to get you up."

The girl closed her door, puzzled. "I was already up." She glanced behind Kouki, her confusion growing. "That's odd…Jun's not with you?"

Kouki looked away from her, eyes troubled. "Well…actually, he's not up yet."

Hikari's did a double take, utterly astonished. "Wait, what? Not up? Jun?!" She gaped at Kouki, stunned.

He glanced at her, looking worried. "I know…I was surprised myself." He rubbed chin, eyebrows knit together. "When I came back to the room after…well…" he coughed, trying to contain his embarrassment. Hikari could feel her cheeks flaming, but looked at the boy calmly. He continued after a brief moment. "Well, I explained to the staff what happened, since you and Jun were both gone."

Hikari scratched her face bashfully, feeling guilty for leaving all the trouble for Kouki. "I'm sorry…I was just a bit…"

Kouki shook his head, giving her his small smile. "No, it's okay. You were…preoccupied." His face grew red again. "I…I'm really sorry for last night. I didn't mean…I mean, I didn't see…" He sighed. "I'm just really, really sorry."

"Hey, it wasn't your fault." She managed to smile through her embarrassment. "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean to…you know."

Kouki heaved a relived sigh, the tension leaving his body. "That's good." After a moment, his face clouded, remembering the issue at hand. "Well, back to what I was saying earlier…after I helped the staff out with the cleaning, I headed back up to our room, and Jun was already in bed."

Hikari frowned. "That's…strange."

"Yeah…at the time I just figured he was worn out from all the heat or something. But when I woke up this morning, he was still in bed." He looked up at the ceiling. "I tried to get him up, but he just said he wasn't feeling well."

The frown on Hikari's face deepened, furrowing her eyebrows. "That's extremely strange. Even if he wasn't feeling well, he would still be bouncing around, especially since it's a new day…I've never seen Jun sleep in for anything."

Kouki's expression echoed Hikari's. "I know…I tried to ask him what was wrong, but I couldn't get anything out of him."

She thought for a moment. "…I'm going to try to see if I can get anything. Why don't you head down for breakfast?"

Kouki nodded reluctantly, patting her on the shoulder. "Good luck."

* * *

Hikari opened the door slowly, squinting through the gloom. Grasping blindly in front of her, she managed to find the lamp, flicking it on. The light dimly lit the room; sure enough, a big lump jutted from the bed closest to her. She found herself whispering, afraid to disturb the silence. "Jun? …Are you awake?"

The only response she received was the mass shifting, Jun turning his back to her.

She approached the bed, trying to peer into the blankets. "Jun?"

No response.

"…I know you're awake, Jun."

Still nothing.

Hikari sighed, feeling a bit burned by being ignored. Yet, her irritation was drowned out by her worry. She laid a hand on what she thought to be the mass's shoulder. "Jun, what's the matter? Why are you acting like this?"

The mass shifted again, Jun rolling up into a tight ball. "…I just don't feel so good right now."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not…"

"What's really the matter?"

"Nothing, I just don't feel so good."

"Jun, I've know you almost all my life. I think I can tell when you're lying–"

"I'm not lying!"

Hikari was stunned by his forceful reply, feeling like the boy had just kicked her in the stomach. In all her years of knowing him, Jun had never acted like this. Sure, he would get mad and pout for a while, and they had their squabbles from time to time, but he would always tell her what was on his mind. Not knowing what had gotten him so upset hurt her the most.

Jun seemed to understand what he had done. "…I'm sorry, Kari. I'm really not feeling well right now. Just…leave me alone."

Hurt and sorely unconvinced, Hikari moved away from the bed. "…Fine." Her voiced cracked a little, and she hated herself for it. But to see Jun act so distant to her…It was like he had just ripped out her heart. Wordlessly, she turned off the light, closing the door with barely a sound.

The silence of it all hurt Jun the most. He knew he had hurt her, but he didn't understand himself anymore. He was physically fit, but his mind was a train-wreck. What was he doing to his best friend? Why did he say things he knew would hurt her? Why was he pulling away? What was he trying to protect himself from? What was he trying to hide from himself? He pulled the covers tighter over his head, willing himself to disappear.

* * *

Hikari picked at her food in silence, starring off into the white abyss churning outside. Kouki watched her, worried. She hadn't spoken a word since she came back from her talk with Jun, and she looked like she would burst out in tears any second. He yearned to comfort her, but had no idea how. He opened his mouth, closing it moments later. Asking what happened wouldn't be the best move. He looked outside. "…It's really coming down now, isn't it?"

The girl didn't even acknowledge Kouki had spoken. She continued to stare vacantly out the windows. Kouki inwardly sighed, unable to come up with any ideas to cheer the girl up.

Laughter burst from the back of the room; a group of people had sauntered in the lounged, their laughter bouncing off the spacious walls. A frown fell across Kouki's face; he already didn't like the look of the newcomers. A tall, older boy with long, light-blond hair lead the group in the laughter, spinning a Pokéball on his fingertips.

"I think I almost made the little boy cry, the poor thing! His pitiful Pokémon couldn't even handle my first attack!" His voice carried over everything else in the room, dripping with contempt. He plopped down on a couch easily, crossing his legs and stretching out his arms. "I mean, who honestly would pick a wimpy Pokémon like Wurmple to fight with? Pathetic! He should go back to Trainer School!" More cruel laughter emitted from the group.

Kouki scowled, disgusted. "How can they say horrible things like that? Trainers who act that way make me sick." Hikari continued to stare out the window as if she wasn't listening, but her fork had frozen in midair.

The blond newcomer flicked his hair back, his face twisted in a patronizing smile. "I can't believe we've been out here for a week, and we still can't find a trainer worthy of battling me." He chuckled. "I bet the Champion couldn't even beat me!"

"Would you like to put your money where your stupid mouth is?"

The older boy stopped laughing, the twisted smile becoming strained. "Who said that?"

"Are you deaf? I asked you if you wanted to put your money where your mouth is." Hikari spoke quietly, but her voice easily filled the silent room. She twirled the fork in front of her, staring at it absentmindedly. "Although I don't know if the Champion has time to waste on scum like you." Kouki stared open-mouthed at her, both frightened and worried about the girl's sudden change.

The other boy's façade of pleasantry was dropped; his ice-blue eyes glared daggers at Hikari. "What are you implying, kid?"

"Wow, you are slow aren't you?" She stood slowly, looking at the blond with deadly eyes. "I'm saying, do you want to take on the Champion?"

After a moment, the blond only laughed, the group around him joining in. He gasped for breath, gripping his sides. "Are…are you trying to tell me, that you…that a little girl, is the Champion? Ha!" He brushed his hair back, smirking at her. "What a joke! You're funny, kid."

"Are you scared?"

The glare was back on the blond's face instantly. "Scared? Of a pipsqueak? You've got to be kidding me."

The girl stood slowly, grabbing a Pokéball off her belt. She faced the blond, smirking. "Let's battle, then."

Kouki was too afraid to even try to speak to Hikari at the moment. A murderous aura surrounded the girl; he could almost feel the heat of her anger in the air. What had happened to her?

* * *

Luckily for Hikari, they wouldn't have to go outside to battle. The resort had a battle arena for visiting trainers. She knew she was acting immature, but she had to work off her frustration somehow, and battling was the only way she knew.

A chorus of "go, Takayuki!" erupted from opposite side, the blond confidently posing for them all. The only person on Hikari's side was an uncomfortable looking Kouki. He tried desperately to convince Hikari to re-think her actions. "Hikari, please…I thought you didn't want to battle during your vacation!"

Hikari didn't look at him, fiddling with the straps on her boots. "What? Do you think I can't win?"

He laughed nervously. "That's not what I'm saying at all! I know you can win, I just think you shouldn't battle him out of spite! It's not good for you, or your Pokémon!" He glared across the field. "And especially not good for him."

Hikari paused, staring at the ground. "…I know, I know I shouldn't, but—"

"Let's get this battle on sometime today, little girl! Your boyfriend can comfort you after I make you cry!"

Kouki's face exploded in red; Hikari tensed up, the heat of anger rising throughout her body. Grabbing a Pokéball, she flung it into the middle of the arena. Her Infernape emerged, already fired up from his trainer's passion. She forced herself to speak calmly. "You can use all of your Pokémon at hand; I'll use only one."

Hysterical laughter met her comment. Takayuki shrugged, still chuckling. "Fine, girl. Your funeral!" He activated his Pokéball. "Go, Gyarados!" He wasted no time. "Use Hydro Pump to wash that pipsqueak away!"

Without a command from Hikari, Infernape easily dodged the powerful rush of water, jumping high over the other Pokémon. She smirked. "Infernape, ThunderPunch!" The Pokémon changed direction in midair, drilling an electrically-charged punch directly onto Gyarados's head. It was a one hit KO; the Pokémon flopped heavily to the ground.

The blond recalled his Pokémon, easy smile becoming forced. "You had one trick up your sleeve, so what?" He flung another Pokéball. "It'll be your last!" A Golem appeared, immediately rolling into a ball. "Golem, flatten it with Rollout!"

"Focus Punch!" Infernape drew back its fist, delivering a devastating blow to the spinning Golem, sending Pokémon flying backwards. "Now, Aerial Ace!" Even faster than the flying Golem, Infernape zoomed up to the Pokémon, slamming it to the ground.

The crowd behind the blond was silent as he withdrew his second Pokémon, yet to even land an attack on the girl. He gritted his teeth, tossing another ball. "Tyranitar! Earthqua—"

"Infernape, SafeGuard, NOW!" Before the attack could reach it, a barrier had surrounded the Pokémon, taking the brunt of the Earthquake. "Now, use FirePunch!" Infernape charged at Tyranitar, hot flames growing around the Pokémon's right fist.

"Tyranitar, use a SafeGuard of your own!" A barrier shot around the Pokémon, Takayuki grinning once again.

Hikari was unmoved. "Feint!" Switching fists, Infernape obliterated the barrier, then used the still blazing right fist to knock the Pokémon off it's feet. "Now, Aerial Ace!"

"Tyranitar, Flamethrower!"

"Fire Blast through it, Infernape" The attacks connect in a fiery explosion. For a moment, they seemed equally matched, but Infernape's Fire Blast ripped through Tyranitar's Flamethrower, bathing the grounded Pokémon in flames. "Another Aerial Ace!" Infernape soared through the flames, slamming into the big Pokémon. The Tyranitar slid back a few more feet, but struggled to its feet.

Hikari was merciless. "Return!" It was a overwhelming blow from Infernape, sending the other Pokémon flying behind his trainer. Kouki watched on, a shiver racing up his spine. He had never seen Hikari battle so violently, with absolutely no regard for the other trainer's Pokémon. He wanted to stop her, but couldn't summon up the courage to defy the girl's rage.

Both trainer stared at each other, Hikari with an abnormal calm, and Takayuki with unrivaled loathing. The crowd behind him was whispering fervently, the blond shaking with anger. "You…bitch!" He threw out his remain three balls all at once, his face livid with fury. "Tentacruel, Houndoom, Carnivine! Combined Hydro Pump, Flamethrower, and Solar Beam!" The three powerful attacks swirled together in the air, veering toward the unprotected Infernape with surprising speed.

"COUNTER!" Infernape took all three attacks head on, glowing with power. A tense moment passed, then the attacks suddenly changed direction, screaming toward the three Pokémon with more speed than before, blowing back the crowd of people with the force. "Finish them with Flare Blitz!"

With that attack, the battle was over. The field was filled with an eerie silence, the bystanders speechless by what they had just witnessed. Takayuki called back his final three Pokémon, storming out of the arena. Not once did his attacks connect.

Kouki now full understood what power Hikari possessed; no wonder she was the only one who was able to tame the Legendary Dialga and Palkia. He approached the girl cautiously, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hikari…"

She fell to her knees, staring blankly into the field. Exhaustion hit her like a brick to the face; through her anger, she hadn't realized what destruction she had wrought. The arena was in complete ruins. She shivered uncontrollably, hugging her shoulders. "What…what did I do?"

Her Infernape staggered up to her; he had been unhurt in battle, but was physically drained from the force of the attacks he had delivered. He squeaked a worried sound at the girl. She flung her arms around the Pokémon, body still shaking. "I'm sorry, Infernape, I'm so sorry."

Kouki helped her to her feet, leading her out of the arena.

* * *

After a visit to the onsite Pokèmon Center, Hikari looked for Takayuki to apologize. She and Kouki searched the resort high and low before they found him in the lounge, looking out into the gloom of the night, the blizzard still raging.

Hikari approached him slowly, looking at her feet in embarrassment. "Um…I'm sorry I did that to you and your Pokémon. I shouldn't of let my anger take over like that. So, I'm deeply, sincerely sorry."

The blond stood motionless, continuing to stare out the window. "…You make me look like a fool in front of all those people…and you think a sorry's just going to fix it?"

Kouki glared at the older boy, but kept his mouth shut. No matter how much he wanted to tell Takayuki off, it wouldn't help Hikari out at all.

The girl was taken aback. "Well, I know I shouldn't have, but you just got me upset—"

"Shut up, bitch!" His hand swiped for her face, but Hikari managed to block it with her arms. However, she was knocked off-balance, teetering backward.

"Hikari!" Kouki tried to grab her, but end up falling with her over the back of one of the couches. This time it was Hikari who ended up on top of Kouki, her face inches from his. She felt her cheeks heat up, Kouki's breath warming her face.

A sound behind her broke her from her stupor; she looked up, meeting stunned amber eyes. "J–Jun!"

Jun had dropped the box he was holding; he turned and ran off without a word. Hikari scrambled off of Kouki, following the boy. "Jun, wait! It's not what you think!" She ran with everything she had, but Jun was much faster; he plowed past people and reached the door leading outside into the storm.

She was much too slow to stop him. "Jun, don't go!"

He paused for a moment, flashing a sad smile. "Bye, Kari." And with that, he was gone.

* * *

**A/N...again: HIKARI SMAAAAAAASH! D:**

**Heh...Heh heh...I didn't mean to make her so...pissed when I first started writing this chapter...but, I kinda just let what happens happen when I write this fanfiction. I don't really plan much untill I start writing...I don't even know how it's going to end! So, it'll be a surprise for all of us. The running into the blizzard is the only thing I planned for this story when I started.**

**I hope Kouki didn't seem wimpy to any of you, but Hikari was PISSED, so... XD I would do the same thing, Kouki! And, I don't know if all the moves for the Pokemon excluding Infernape are possible...but oh well!**

**A present from me to you; an early update! Hopefully, the next one will be out just as fast. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! They really get me excited to write this story!**


	5. Chase

Hikari's face was hidden in her arms as she slumped over the table, the box Jun had dropped laying open in front of her. Inside were six untouched Poffins, each one made to meet the tastes of the six Pokémon she had on hand. Every time she and Jun would fight he would always make her something to apologize, usually chocolates or some other sweet she had an affinity for. When they were younger, they never tasted quite the way they should, but Jun's cooking had grown much better of the years through his hard-headed determination…

Thinking about Jun only made fresh tears fill her eyes, threatening to overflow. Her body shuddered from the suppressed sobs; she bit her lip to silence herself. Her Pokémon surrounded her, trying their best to comfort their trainer.

Kouki walked up behind the girl, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. Seeing her so utterly crushed tore at his heart. Pulling up a chair next to her, he placed a steaming cup of hot chocolate next to her, face creased in worry. "Hikari, it's getting late…You should really try to rest for a bit."

"…No."

Her voice was muffled by her arm, but he still could hear it break. He spoke soothingly, forcing himself to erase all traces of worry from his face and his voice. "They're searching the whole mountain for him right now…they'll find him and bring him back in no time."

"…I'm not resting until he comes back."

"Hikari, please–"

"Kouki." She lifted her head, fresh tears tracing lines on her cheeks. "I can't sleep when Jun's out in that storm. What if he's…"

Kouki face softened, trying to reassure her. "Hikari, this is Jun were talking about. Knowing him, he's probably bundled up with an Abomasnow by now."

She gripped the blanket closer to her, unable to suppress a sob. "But it's been _three hours_!"

He could feel his heart go cold. It had been three hours since Jun had ran out. He had even left his Pokéballs and his jacket at the resort. He shook himself of any dark thoughts. If he let himself be consumed by them, how would he ever be able to comfort Hikari? He tried again. "Hikari, sitting here and worrying won't help. You're only hurting yourself. All your Pokémon are worried about you." He slid the cup toward her.

Hikari picked up the mug reluctantly, slowly sipping the warm liquid. She looked at her worried Pokémon, feeling guilty. "…I'm sorry. I'm just…"

Kouki flashed an encouraging smile, seeing his chance. "Why don't you at least lie down for a bit? I promise to wake you up if anything happens, okay?"

After a moment, she nodded. "…Okay. I am a bit tired, I guess…"

Kouki sighed inwardly, relieved. If she slept, her mind would be at ease for at least a little bit. He stood up, helping her to her feet. "Come on." He walked her all the way to her room, helping her into her bed.

She snuggled up under the covers, closing her eyes. "Thanks, Kouki."

He smiled. "Don't worry about it. Try to get some rest." He closed the door behind him, immersing the room in darkness.

She waited a moment, listening closely to his footsteps retreating down the hallway before throwing the covers off, hoping to her feet. She grabbed her jacket off of the chair and slipped into it, trying to zip it up as quietly as possible. She ripped the quilt off of her bed, bundling it up and tucking it under her arm. Her Noctowl had been working at the lock on the window with its psychic powers; it finally swung open, the harsh winds of the blizzard filling the room. She motioned to Lucario, turning to whisper to the other Pokémon. "Can you guys try to keep Kouki from finding out? I don't want him to worry." They nodded, not looking completely confident in her plan. She smiled at them, wiping the remaining tears from her face. "Don't worry about me guys…I'll be fine. Besides, I'm not alone."

Hikari walked up to the window, stepping onto the ledge. "…Sorry, Kouki." She jumped into the storm, landing on her Noctowl's back. Lucario grabbed onto the bird's legs, both of them disappearing into the storm.

* * *

Hikari sourly wished she had opted for pants that morning instead of the skirt and tights she was wearing now. She gritted her teeth against the cold, trying to see through the snow that flew in her face. She knew her Noctowl would see anything before she would with a little light on their side, and Lucario wouldn't even need light to spot Jun, but it didn't stop her from craning her neck over the side of the bird, squinting at the white blur bellow. She slid a bit over the side to glance at Lucario, yelling over the wind. "See anything yet?"

Lucario shook its head, his eyes closed in concentration. Hikari's stomach sank; she wiggled herself upright again, scanning the area for the umpteenth time. In her frustration, she cupped her hands around her mouth, yelling into the night. "JUUUN! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" She waited, knowing it was futile. Even if by some chance he heard her, she would never hear him from here. "Noctowl, will you fly in a bit closer?"

The Pokémon swooped down, or at least that's what she thought. It was hard to tell which was up and which was down in the blanket of white. She could feel the Noctowl's movements become more laborious with every beat of its wings; carrying two had taken its toll. Once again, guilt filled the tip of her stomach; she was being incredibly selfish. "Noctowl, why don't we land for now?" Noctowl trilled a tired reply, touching down on the ground gently moments later.

She patted the bird's back lovingly, grabbing a Pokéball off of her belt. "Take a break…You deserve it." She returned Noctowl to its Pokéball, tucking it back into her belt before turning to Lucario. "We'll take it from here on foot, okay?" Lucario nodded in response, leading the way.

They walked for what seemed like hours to Hikari. Her legs were frozen solid from the cold; she was half-tempted to wrap the quilt around her and take a break. But she wouldn't allow herself to stop, not before she found Jun.

"JUUUN! Are you out there? Answer me, Jun!" She panted, stumbling over branches and roots buried in the deep snow. Lucario helped her from falling, eyes still closed as he scanned the forest for Jun's Aura.

Hikari rested her back against a tree for a moment, regaining her breath. 'Where…are you, Jun?" She started to take a step, only to meet empty air. With a shriek, she slid down a hidden embankment, tumbling wildly into a pit. She landed on her back, temporarily winded. When she felt she could breathe again, she sat up, looking up to the dim light above. "Oww…Where did I fall?"

"Hikari?"

Her heart leapt into her throat; she jumped up, looking around the chasm. "J–Jun! Where are you?"

"Currently writhing on the floor in pain, thank you."

She looked behind her, and sure enough, Jun was there, lying where she had just crashed to the earth, smiling through his pain. "What's up, Kari?"

Relief flooded her…but her happiness was short-lived. She grabbed the blond by the collar, shaking him. "'What's up?' 'What's up?' I've been worried sick about you, that's 'what's up!' " She dropped him to the ground, straightening up. "I've sat around for three hours not knowing what happened to you! Why did you run off? Where did you expect to go in a blizzard? You could've been dead! How dare you just…how dare you…how…" She couldn't hold in her tears any longer. She fell to her knees, flinging herself at Jun.

The boy froze, his throat constricted and his face flaming. He put his arms around her, patting her back awkwardly. "I'm…sorry, Kari. I'm a grade A idiot…"

"You…_hicup_…are, you big dummy…"

He smiled, hugging her closer. "Heh…thanks."

* * *

After Hikari gained control of herself, they both huddled together underneath the quilt Hikari had brought with her, both of her Pokémon secure in their Pokéballs. They had decided to wait a bit for Noctowl to recover before attempting to fly back.

Against Jun's shrill protests, Hikari still hugged the boy, insisting that he needed all the warmth he could get after being out in the blizzard for so long.

"I'm really not that cold, you know." Which wasn't a complete lie since his face was burning with heat at the moment. He had fallen into the cave not long after he left, and it had provided him shelter from the bitter cold outside.

"Shush. Consider it your punishment for making me worry so much."

Jun smiled, chuckling to himself. "Oh…well, then this is probably some of the worse punishment I've had!"

"Be quiet before I change my ideas on punishment!"

"Fine, fine…" Silence filled the hollow, un-answered questions lingering in the air.

Hikari was the first to take the leap of faith. "…You do know that what happened back there isn't what you think, right?"

Jun relaxed a bit; he had not realized that he had been so tense. "What happened?"

She started to explain to him the events of the day, starting with Takayuki's comments in the lounge, then the battle (which she heavily edited out of embarrassment), and ending with Takayuki's assault and Kouki's attempt at saving her.

Jun was completely livid after hearing the story. "That son of a…"

Hikari had to use all of her strength to keep him from jumping up and hunting Takayuki down that moment. "Jun, stop! Kouki took care of it!"

That did stop him. He looked at her, incredulous. "R–really? Kouki did?"

She laughed nervously. "Well, I don't think he beat him up or anything like you would've wanted, but when I walked back in there, Takayuki was as pale as a sheet, and Kouki looked like a harbinger of death."

Jun's easy laughter filled the air. "Really? Man, I wish I was there to see that!" His laughter faded, growing silent for a moment. "…I'm sorry, Kari, I really am. First, I was a jerk to you, then I'm wasn't there to keep bastards like that away from you, and then just I run off without even thinking it through! I'm horrible."

"Stop that! You're not horrible. Yes, you can be a little silly at times…" She could almost feel him smile, "…but that doesn't make you a horrible person. It just makes you who you are. I wouldn't have you any other way."

He laughed again. "Well, I guess that makes you the silly one."

She poked him in the side, smiling. "I guess we're all a bit mad here."

"Ha! Maybe more than a bit."

She smiled, a huge yawn racking her whole body. "At least things are interested when I'm with you…" Hikari rested her head against Jun's shoulder, an easy calm filling the cave.

Jun looked up at the snow above them, thinking. "Hey, this might be an odd time to bring it up, but…Kari?" He looked over at her, noticing that she had fallen asleep. He could feel a smile spreading across his face, every fiber of his being warmed by the sight. He rested his head on top of hers, closing his eyes. "Heh…Night, Kari."

* * *

Hikari woke with a start, staring around her room. She was disoriented and confused for a moment; how did she end up back at the resort? Panic rose in her chest. She hadn't dreamt that, did she? Flinging off her covers, she rushed to her door, greeted by a familiar sight.

"Hikari! Your awake!" Kouki beamed at her. "I have great news!"

Jun popped up from behind the boy. "Ta-daaa! I'm back!"

Hikari could only stare opened mouthed at both of them, her tired mind trying to connect all the dots, to no avail. "Wha-what?!"

A sheepish smile spread across Kouki's face. "I'm sorry I didn't wake you up like I said I would, but he said he didn't want to face your wrath until morning."

She gaped at Jun, who just smiled like he always did. "Sorry Kari! You always dish out the _worse_ punishments."

Hikari sensed something else in his coy smile, and her suspicions were confirmed with a wink. So it wasn't a dream, the sly dog. She noticed that the Pokéballs she had carried with her last night weren't on her belt. Hikari wasn't too upset, since it did get her out of trouble with Kouki, but that didn't stop her from giving the boy a swift punch in the stomach. "You idiot!"

Jun coughed, still smiling. "Heh, missed you too."

Kouki laughed nervously, getting the distinct feeling that he had missed something important.

**A/N: Surprises, guys! I updated TWICE IN ONE MONTH! Joy, joy! I love writing this story...It makes me feel like I can write. XD Odd, but I just love writing it!**

**Oh, how I do luvers me some FLUUUUUUFF! But now, the real battle begins...Kouki steps up to the mat! Will he get a home run?**

**I love you guys! Your reviews make me feel like I'm doing something for the WOOOORLD! Thanks so much for reading!**


	6. Ride

Hikari lectured Jun on his behavior from the previous night throughout breakfast, promising him pain and certain death if he ever pulled a stunt like that again. Jun was surprisingly submissive during his tongue-lashing, smiling slightly and nodding through the whole ordeal.

Kouki remained silent, simply relieved that everything was back to normal. He poured over the resort's brochure, trying to see if there was anything special going on for the day.

"Do you hear me, Jun? If you ever, and I mean _ever_, make me worry that much again, I will not hesitate to beat you within an inch of your life! Maybe I can actually manage to beat some sense into your thick skull! You got that?' Hikari pointed her fork at Jun menacingly, scowling at the boy.

"I hear you, Kari." Jun raised his right hand, still smiling. "I promise not to worry you like that ever again." His food remained untouched; he decided it would be best to give the girl all his attention.

"I hope you mean it." She started to eat her own food, looking away from him purposely.

"So…" Jun smirked, leaning in toward both of the trainers. "What happened yesterday while I was cooped up in my room?"

Hikari swallowed her food roughly; Kouki stopped looking through the brochure mid-flip. They both exchanged glances for a moment, looking toward Jun.

Hikari scowled at the blond, although she gave him credit for asking. She didn't think he would remember he wasn't supposed to know. However, she _really _didn't feel like explaining the embarrassing events again.

Jun meet both of their stares squarely, exuding an purely innocent aura. Hikari sighed in defeat, launching into her synopsis for the second time.

"What! How dare that bastard push you like that!" Jun's anger would seem spot-on to someone who didn't know better, but Hikari could definitely sense some sarcasm in his words. He was teasing her, that bastard.

She sipped her warm tea, feeling exhausted. "Don't worry about it; Kouki dealt with it."

"_Really?_" Hikari had a feeling this is what Jun was aiming for throughout the whole conversation. He turned to Kouki, directing the full intensity of his stare onto the other boy. "How did you do that?"

Kouki ate his food calmly, sounding nonchalant. "Oh, I just spoke to him, that's all."

Both Hikari and Jun gaped at Kouki, feeling a dangerous tension in the air. The way he spoke so calmly proved that it was no normal chat he had with Takayuki.

Jun laughed nervously, his consideration for the other boy growing. "Oh, really? That's good then." He decided to drop the subject despite his burning curiosity.

The three of them finished up their meal, heading for the lounge to decide on something to do for the rest of the day. A commotion at the far end of the room caught their attention as they entered the room; they walked over to the crowd, noticing a sign.

"A raffle? For what?" Hikari stood on her tip toes, trying to read the sign.

"I don't know, but let's try it!" Jun grinned, eagerly dragging the two through the crowd.

Each of them drew a ticket, showing the man at the table their number.

"Well! It looks as if we have a big winner! Congratulations, son!"

Surprised, Jun and Hikari looked toward Kouki. Kouki held his ticket in front of him, completely amazed. "W–What? Really?" The crowd sighed in disappointment, dispersing out of the room.

The man smiled. "It would seem so. Lucky you!"

Kouki was still dumbfounded. He normally had no luck at all. Hikari and Jun patted his back enthusiastically, congratulating him.

Jun looked toward the man. "So, what did he win?"

The man smirked, handing Kouki some tickets. "Here you go! A ticket for you and that special someone for the for the famous Stantler sled rides!"

Kouki looked at the tickets, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. "…I've heard of the Stantler sled rides." He looked at to the other two. "They take you through the woods and to a little shopping district a few miles away."

Hikari clapped her hands in delight. "Really! That's so cool! You're lucky, Kouki!"

Jun snorted, crossing his arms. "Shopping? Doesn't sound so fun to me."

Kouki stared at the tickets for a moment. "Well…" He offered one to Hikari. "Would you like to go with me, Hikari?"

She looked at Kouki, beaming. "Really? You don't mind?"

He smiled at her. "No, not at all! I would love for you to go with me. Besides," he turned to Jun. "it doesn't seem like Jun is all that eager to go, anyways."

Jun hesitated a moment before nodding in agreement, waving a hand coolly. "Sounds like a bore to me. I'd rather stay here and train!"

Hikari sighed, but couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. "All you ever think about is training!" She took the ticket, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Kouki!" She checked the time on her Pokétch. According to the ticket, it was about an hour and a half before the sled rides started. "I better go get ready!" She was still in the clothes she had worn the day before; she was so hungry that morning after realizing Jun was back that she hadn't even thought about her appearance. "I'll meet you down here later!" She hurried back up the stairs, leaving the two boys behind.

Kouki glanced at Jun, a bit wary of the response he might receive. "Jun…Are you okay with staying behind?"

"Huh?" Jun snapped back into reality, looking a Kouki. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Oh…no reason, I guess…"

Both of them stood in silence for a moment. "…Hey, don't you have to get ready too? You wouldn't want to disappoint Princess Hikari, would you?" Jun smirked, shoving the other boy playfully.

"I guess…" Kouki looked a Jun, questioning him again with his eyes.

Jun waved his hands, smiling. "I'm fine! I don't mind having a day to myself once in a while, you know. You and Hikari go have fun together."

"…If you say so…" Kouki headed up to their room, leaving Jun by himself.

Jun watched him disappear from sight, the strained smile slowly fading from his lips. He ran a hand through his hair, heaving a hefty sigh.

* * *

Hikari wasn't going to lie to herself; she was showing off just a bit. She wore a white, V-neck sweater with a maroon turtleneck underneath, and a maroon skirt reaching down a bit above her ankles. She slid on thick white tights underneath the skirt for extra warmth and her brown boots. Her hair was slightly curled, holding the long, bluish locks back with a red headband. She wrapped a fluffy white scarf around her neck, slipping into her pink jacket. She made one last check in the mirror, smiling in satisfaction.

She headed down to the lobby, finding Kouki and Jun waiting for her.

Hikari hurried up to the two, turning to Kouki. "I hope I didn't make you wait."

Kouki shook his head, smiling pleasantly. "No, Jun and I just came down from out room."

Hikari rummaged through the small purse she had brought with her, producing a card key. She handed it to Jun. "Here's the extra key to my room. If it's not too much, would you mind looking after my Pokémon for me?"

Jun looked at her, a bit surprised, but pocketed the key no less. "Sure. I'll check on them after I go out and train for a bit."

She smiled sweetly at him. "Thanks!" Hikari grabbed Kouki's arm. "Shall we go?"

He couldn't help but blush a bit, his sheepish smile returning to his face. "Y–Yeah. Let's go."

Hikari dragged him out the door, hardly able to contain her excitement.

Jun smirked, yelling after the two. "Have fun carrying all her bags, Kouki!"

The two young trainers found a small fleet of Stantler-drawn sleds outside of the resort. Hikari gasped, dragging Kouki toward the Pokémon. She eased up to a Stantler hitched to one of the sleds, her eyes wide with amazement. "Wow, I've never seen a Stantler up close before! I don't think I've even fought a trainer with one." She reached her hand out to the creature, giggling as its nose tickled her fingers.

Kouki smiled, patting the Stantler's shoulder. "You do see them around much here, but there are tons of them in Johto. Many people get lost in forests because of them."

"Really?" She stroked the Stantler's head, the deer nudging her stomach, craving more attention. "Why? They seem friendly enough to me."

He glanced up at the Stantler's antlers, Hikari following his gaze. "You notice how their antlers almost look like eyes? " She nodded. "Well, it's thought that if you stare into a Stantler's antlers for too long you can become hypnotized and suffer from delusions."

Hikari's eyes immediately dropped from the creature's antlers, looking instead at its eyes. "Well, looks can be deceiving! And I thought you were just a big sweetie, but it looks like you have a few tricks up your sleeve, don't you!" She gave the Stantler on last pat before climbing into the sled, Kouki sliding in next to her. A few moments later, their sled driver walked over them, giving a rundown of the trip to the two before climbing into the front, giving the leads a gentle snap. The sled lurched forward, heading into the forest.

The ride through the forest was peaceful; Kouki pointed out the various berries and vegetation to Hikari, explaining their various uses and applications. Hikari was thrilled by it all, listening closely to the boy and asking many questions.

"Wow, Kouki! You really know a lot!" She looked at him, truly awed.

He laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I've been working with Doctor Nanakamado ever since I can remember, so I've picked up a lot of random things over the years."

Hikari pouted a bit at the boy. "Don't sell yourself short, Kouki! This is really impressive! I would never be able to remember all of this stuff!"

He smiled, pleased by her compliment. "It can be helpful when you're out in the woods for a while." He looked down at his hands. "You can figure out a lot about a Pokémon by just looking at the Berries it eats, so I've learned a lot about all kinds of Berries."

"Wow, being a Pokémon researcher seems so cool…"

Kouki smiled sadly. "Well, it is certainly fun to be able to see all types of Pokémon…"

Hikari brow creased in worry. "You don't seem so enthusiastic about it…What's wrong?"

Kouki shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong."

She put her hands on her hips, staring the boy down. "Kouki, I know something's bothering you…spill."

He looked away from her, silent for a moment. "Well, it's not that I don't like researching about Pokémon…I really do love it." He sighed. "I just don't think I'm that good, that's all."

"What? You seem good to me!"

He chuckled. "Not really. I'm always screwing up in the lab and in the field."

Hikari frowned. "Everybody make mistakes, Kouki!"

He sighed, wringing his hands together. "I make so many mistakes that I'm just a burden, really…"

She grabbed the boy's arm, determination burning in her eyes. "You shouldn't give up your dream just because of a few mistakes! If you fall down, you just have to get right back up!" She shook her head. "Nobody's perfect."

Kouki looked at her, a bit stunned at her zeal. "…You think I could really become a good researcher?"

She grinned. "I already think you are a good researcher."

He looked back down at his hands, a little overwhelmed. He was always preoccupied with the mistakes that he had made; he never even thought about the things he had actually accomplished. A genuine smile lit up his features. "…Thanks."

"Hey, I didn't tell you anything you didn't already know. You just need to have more confidence in yourself!" She let go of his arms, giving him a thumbs up.

"…You're really amazing, Hikari."

"Huh?" She dropped her hand, confused. "What do you mean?"

Kouki shook his head, smiling gently. "No, it's nothing. I just wish I was more like you."

She laughed. "I don't know about that! I think that should my line. You're so mature and kind…I wish I could be more like that!" She knocked on her head, sticking out her tongue. "As Jun would say, I'm too thick-headed for my own good!"

He smiled to himself, looking back at his hands. She would never know how much he admired her strength. Her determination and resolve let her solve any challenge that came her way, while Kouki would be one of the first to give up and condemn the task to the impossible.

Kouki glanced over at the girl, a warmth growing inside his heart. She really was amazing.

* * *

The two chatted though the rest of the trip, arriving at the small village shortly after. The town was charming and quaint, the streets paved with bricks and lined with decorations and lights . Small stops and cafés were lined up in neat rows throughout the whole village. Hikari gasped in delight, grabbing Kouki's hand once again. "Come on!"

Hikari dragged Kouki from shop to shop filling his arms with bags of goodies. They shopped for a few hours before they decided to take a break at one of the many bistros in the town. The two took a seat at one of the tables outside of a café, ordering a few pastries.

Hikari finished off her third helping of cake, face flushed in delight. "Ah, I don't know if I ever want to leave! These cakes are amazing!"

Kouki picked at his pie, smiling at her. "You really love your sweets, don't you?"

She giggled, grabbing a lemon tart out of the basket in front of her. "I do! I think I may have more than one sweet tooth." She popped the tart into her mouth, sighing happily as it melted on her tongue.

Kouki chuckled at her, taking a bit of his pie. If anything, Hikari was fun to watch.

After finishing up the rest of the tarts, Hikari rested her elbows onto the table, holding her head in her hands. "You're lucky, Kouki. You've already got something you can keep doing into the future." She sighed. "I have no idea what I want to do with my life."

"Huh? Why don't you continue battling?"

"Well, I don't think being Champion will keep food on the table, you know? Besides, one day I might find someone who can beat me, so what would I do then?"

Kouki thought about it for a moment. "…Well, you could always become a Gym Leader or something of the sort." He looked at her. "Jun's father is the leader of the Battle Tower, isn't he?"

She tapped her chin with a finger. "…True, but I always thought that Jun would probably be the one to succeed Kurotsugu…" She paused. "…Actually, I never wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer when I was little."

Kouki set his fork on his plate. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah, actually when I was little I wanted to be…well…" She looked at him. "Promise not to laugh?"

He nodded. "Why would I laugh?"

She laughed, embarrassed. "Well, when I was little, I always wanted to be the Day Care Lady."

Kouki stared at her for a moment. An image of Hikari as an old woman flashed through his mind; he couldn't help a chuckle or two before he could stop himself.

She pouted, flicking a cake crumb at him. "Hey! You promised not to laugh!"

He covered his mouth, eyes wrinkled in mirth. "Sorry, sorry!" He cleared his throat, still smiling. "Running a Day Care seems like it would be fun. Think of all the Pokémon you could meet!"

She smiled. "See! It isn't such a silly idea, after all! But…now since I've had a taste of the battling life, I don't think I could just settle for something like that." She rubbed her hands together, shivering against the cool breeze.

Kouki noticed her shiver, standing up. "I'll go get us some hot chocolate." He walked inside the restaurant for a moment, bringing out two steaming cups of cocoa. "Here you go." He reached to put the cup on the table, but stumbled on his way, spilling hot cocoa all over Hikari's jacket. She jumped up, trying to keep the liquid from dripping onto her legs.

Kouki gasped, grabbing a few napkins. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Hikari!" He patted at her coat with a napkin, until he realized he was patting her chest. He blushed, dropping the napkins. "Ah! I'm sorry!"

Hikari laughed, waving her hands at him. "Don't worry so much about it, Kouki! It was an honest mistake." She looked down at her ruined pink jacket, smiling sadly. "I'll just go get this washed at the resort when we get back. No worries." She slid off the jacket, folding it up. Luckily, it was the only thing hit by the hot chocolate; even her white scarf was unharmed.

Kouki stared at the jacket, feeling guilty. He slid off his own blue coat, handing it to the girl. "Here. Take mine."

She stared at it for a moment, looking up at Kouki. "I can't take it! What about you?"

He shook his head, taking her soiled jacket and placing his in her arms. "No, I'll be fine. Besides, I'm the one who ruined your jacket. It's the least I can do." He draped her jacket over his arm. "I'll go get you a new hot chocolate."

She stared at the coat in her arms for a moment, slipping her arms inside and wrapping it around herself. It was a bit too big; she had to roll up the sleeves a bit just to find her hands, but it was comfortably warm.

Kouki returned a few moments later, a fresh cup of cocoa in his hand. He handed over to her carefully, making sure to not spill a drop.

"Thank you." Hikari took a sip, enjoying the warmth. "Even the hot chocolate here is amazing!"

Kouki smiled, grabbing his own cup. He looked at his Pokétch, noticing the time. "It's getting pretty late…Do you want to start heading back?"

"Sure."

The two finished up their hot chocolate and threw away their trash before they headed down the street, toward the sleds.

* * *

Jun sighed heavily, trudging back up the steps leading toward the resort. His training secession didn't go as well as he wanted; he was too preoccupied the whole time to put his heart into it.

Another hefty sigh passed his lips as he climbed the curling stairs up to their rooms, not even bothering to take the elevator. He was resolved not to over react, but it was so damn _hard_. He didn't expect it to be this difficult to let the two go off together; he wouldn't have wanted to go even if he had a ticket. But, there was something about knowing the two of them were alone _together _that drove him mad. Even training couldn't distract him.

He reached for his room's door, but suddenly remembered the key in his pocket. He took the card out, glancing at Hikari's door. He _had _promised her he would check on her Pokémon. He walked across the hall, looking curiously at the "do not disturb" sign hanging from her doorknob. He shrugged, letting himself in the room.

Something white and furry rammed into his face; he grabbed the creature by the scruff of its neck, staring into the eyes of Hikari's Pachirisu.

"Huh?" He looked into the room, finding the rest of Hikari's Pokémon sprawled about. Even her Gyarados was curled inside, most of its body hidden in the bathroom. The empty Pokéballs were resting on her nightstand neatly.

Jun's surprise soon faded, a smile spreading across his lips. Of course Hikari would let her Pokémon out of their Pokéballs when she left; she let them out whenever she could, and she certainly wouldn't let them be stuffed up all day. _That's _why she wanted him to check up on them.

The Pokémon all gathered around Jun, sounding their greetings. He closed the door behind him, laughing. "Hey guys. Hope you haven't been too bored cooped up in here." The Pokémon returned to what they were doing previously, Jun following them into the heart of the room.

He sat down on her bed, Pachirisu curling up on his lap. He watched the Pokémon, smiling. Just like their trainer, there was more to them than met the eye. He patted Pachirisu fondly. "…Your trainer is a strange one, isn't she?" The squirrel Pokémon squeaked, nestling into Jun's stomach.

Jun looked around the room, noticing Hikari's things sprawled about. Her red scarf was draped over the TV; her pajamas sat on the table. Her hat and the yellow hair clips he had gotten her long ago sat on top of the dresser, her suitcase leaning against the wood. Even the bed hadn't been made; he smoothed the blankets out with his hand, frowning slightly. The whole room reminded him of her.

He sighed, flopping back onto the bed. Pachirisu scurried of his lap and curled up on the end of the bed, falling asleep in seconds. He stared at the Pokémon for a moment before his eyes wandered to the ceiling. Unexplainable longing ate away at the pit of his stomach; he fervently wished that Hikari was here that very second.

Jun rested his head on her pillow, Hikari's scent flooding his senses. He _was_ going mad after all. He chuckled, closing his eyes. He could imagine her laughing at him right now for being so silly. However, it only made him smile as he slowly faded into slumber, lulled by the peace around him. Her laughter was the best sound in the world…

* * *

The trip back to the resort was bathed in a peaceful silence, the two taking in all the nature around them. The sun was slowly setting, bathing the forest in warm twilight.

Hikari pointed at one of the trees hanging overhead, tugging at Kouki jacket. "I've never seen that type of Berry before…What is it?"

"Hmm?" Kouki followed her hand into the trees. His face immediately turned bright red, mouth agape. "T—That's not a Berry! It's…mistletoe!"

Hikari's face was blank for a moment. "Mistletoe…ah!" Her face erupted into the same red as Kouki, scooting away from him in a knee-jerk reaction. "Mistletoe! Why mistletoe?!"

The sled driver burst into gruff laughter, glancing back at the two. "You kids know what they say about couples getting stuck under the mistletoe!" He laughed to himself, turning back to the path. They were close to their destination, the resort now in view.

Kouki stammered, covering his mouth. "I can't…We can't—"

Hikari shook her head frantically, covering her own mouth in embarrassment. "That would be so…weird!"

The driver hummed to himself, smiling. "Ah, young love…"

Kouki and Hikari walked back toward the hotel together in silence, faces still slightly flushed from the sled ride back underneath the mistletoe. They hadn't spoken since the left the forest, both too embarrassed to bring anything up.

When they reached the doors to the hotel, Hikari sat her bags on the ground, starting to take of Kouki's jacket. He stopped her with a hand.

"Don't worry about it. You can keep in until I get your jacket cleaned." He readjusted the pink jacket in his arms, smiling.

"You sure?" Kouki nodded. She slipped the jacket back on and picked up her bags, blushing slightly. "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it." He started to walk inside. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Ah, Kouki!" He stopped, looking back at her. Hikari hurried up to him. Reaching up on her tip toes, she gave him a small peck on the cheek. She smiled, blushing. "Thanks again for taking me with you. It was really fun." She rushed past him, waving. "Later!"

Kouki was frozen in place, watching her disappear from sight. He slowly raised a hand to his cheek, touching the spot where her lips had had grazed his skin. He could feel a huge grin spread across his face, his heart racing madly. He headed toward the laundry room, a song in his heart. It had turned out to be a good day.

Hikari rushed all the way up the stair to her room, the blush still lingering on her features. She was surprised at herself for being so bold. She stopped in front of her door, touching her lips. What did it all mean?

* * *

She sighed, opening her door. "I'm back, guys…Huh?" She stopped mid-step, a strange sight greeting her.

Somehow, all of her Pokémon had managed to curl themselves onto the queen-sized bed (excluding Gyarados, who was coiled around the bed), sleeping soundly. In the midst of all the Pokémon, Hikari managed to spot a certain blond, snoring softly under the make-shift blanket of Pokémon.

She blinked a few times, making sure that she hadn't been inadvertently been hypnotized by the Stantler and was suffering from delusions. Hikari covered her mouth and hugged her sides, shaking with silent laughter.

She took a deep breath to calm herself. Grabbing the Pokéballs, she recalled the Pokémon quietly, still unable to completely stifle the giggles. "You guys are funny…" She smiled at the sleeping Jun, shaking her head.

Hikari sat down her bags and slid off the blue jacket, hanging it on the back of a chair. She turned back to the boy, sighing. "Really, you're unbelievable…" The smile wouldn't fade from her lips; it was so like Jun to do something like this.

She tugged the sheets from under the boy, tossing them over his sleeping frame. "You're so silly." Hikari kneeled by the bed, smoothing some of the blond hair out of his face, her smile growing. He looked so calm and cute when he slept…much different than the restless, smart-ass she knew in his waking hours. She giggled; it was nice seeing him like this once in a while.

Reaching for the nightstand, she grabbed her purse. Rummaging inside, she produced a small sprig of mistletoe. She had picked it up before she had realized what it was, placing it in her purse without thinking.

She stared at the plant for a moment, stroking the white berries with a finger. Slowly, she lifted the mistletoe over Jun's head, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She giggled, feeling extremely silly. What would Jun do if he were awake?

Hikari straightened out, glancing out her window with a smile. It had been a wonderful day. She wished with all here heart that it would never end.

* * *

**A/N: Ah ha ha ha ha haa! :D I don't know why, but I feel like laughing. Maybe it's from the four hours of sleep I got last night after writing this, I dunno. This was the hardest chapter for me to write, for some reason. It also took me the longest, and it IS the longest! :D**

**Wow, it seems like Kouki's ahead in this battle for love! He's had his face in Hikari's boobs, had her on top of him, and got to touch her chest! Mayhaps Jun better start getting serious or he might lose! **

**Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews you guys give me for this story! It makes me so happy when you guys say such nice things about it! See you in the next chapter! **


	7. Fight

Jun felt groggier than usual when he finally began to stir the next morning. He stared at the clock as he slowly fought against the sluggish blanket fogging his mind. The time read 8:26, much later than he usually woke up. All that intensive training from the previous day had really taken a toll on his body.

He sighed, running his fingers through his tousled blond hair. He had lost so much time already; the day had started with out him! He never even saw Hikari and Kouki come back from their trip.

A pit opened up in his stomach as he thought back on the previous day. What had happened while he wasn't there? A headache was already beginning to grow; he flopped over with a groan…and found himself inches away from Hikari's sleeping face

He couldn't recall a time where he had moved faster; he let out a startled cry, tumbling out of the bed.

Hikari was awakened by his shriek. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "Huh…Jun? What's wrong?"

Jun opened his mouth, struggling to find his voice. "Wha–Wha–What are you doing here?"

She yawned, stretching out her arms. "Huh? Whaddya mean 'what am I doing here?' This is _my_ room."

Jun blinked a few times, looking around frantically in his confusion. The girl was right; he _was_ in her room. His mind whirled as he tried to remember what had happened the day before, but his search came up empty. "…why am I in your room?"

Hikari slid her legs underneath her bottom, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "You were asleep when I got back." She pulled the blankets up over her shoulders, snuggling in the warmth. "Even after Kouki and I ate, you were still sleeping…so, I didn't want to wake you up. I figured you probably pushed yourself too hard while you were training, like you always do." She shot him an accusing look.

He scratched his cheek, looking away from her withering glance. Of course she was right on the spot on about the training, but his sheepishness was soon forgotten when images began popping in his head, scenarios of the night running rampart in his mind.

His cheeks blazed, shooting the girl a peevish look. "You should have woken me up!"

"Why?" She patted the bed. "There's plenty of room on the bed. You and all of my Pokémon fit just fine on it."

"You're missing the _point_! It's not _right_!"

She tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean? We used to have slumber parties and sleep together all the time when we were little."

"That was different!"

"How?"

"Well…we were little!"

"And why does that matter?"

Jun sighed, hiding his beet red face in his hands. "It's…well, it just does!" Suddenly, his stomach let out a fierce growl; he _had_ missed dinner the day before.

Hikari covered her mouth with a hand to hide her chuckle. "You're just full of problems this morning, aren't you?"

Jun saw his chance to escape; he jumped up, rushing to the door without a second glance at Hikari. "I–I'll see you at breakfast!"

Hikari watched him slam her door in his mad dash out of her room, then heard him slam his and Kouki's door across the hall a few seconds later. She smiled to herself, giggling mischievously. She had figured that he would probably react like that. It was so worth it. She hummed to herself as she got ready for the day, changing out of her pink pajamas into a pair of dark green corduroys and a brown sweater. Her mood couldn't get any brighter; she was really enjoying this vacation.

* * *

"Wow, you guys look like twins today!" Hikari sat down at table, giggling at the two. They were wearing identical black turtlenecks, and jeans.

Kouki sighed, a small smile on his lips. "Don't look at me; he's wearing _MY_ clothes."

Jun poked at his eggs, pouting. "…all my clothes are in the wash…"

Hikari laughed, taking a swig of her milk. "Let me guess: in your mad rush to leave, you didn't pack enough clothes?"

He didn't answer, staring intently at his eggs. They seemed to be quite interesting.

Kouki finished off a piece of bacon, wiping his fingers on a napkin. "Oh, by the way, Hikari…your jacket is in the dryer now. The stain came out completely, thankfully."

Hikari smiled at Kouki. "That's great! Thank you, Kouki!"

Jun perked up for the first time throughout the whole conversation. "Stain?"

A flush crept up Kouki's face; he smiled his sheepish smile at Hikari. "I…ah, I spilt hot chocolate on Hikari's jacket yesterday."

Hikari waved her had dismissively. "Oh, it was just an accident. Don't worry about it! Besides, the stain came out, didn't it? It's all good."

"I'm still really sorry about it, Hikari…I'm such a klutz."

"Don't be so hard on yourself!"

"Ha…sorry."

"Stop apologizing, silly!"

Jun interrupted, curiosity getting the better of him. "So…what all did you guys do yesterday?"

Both of them were silent for a moment. Then, the same thought passed through their minds; the mistletoe.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" They frantically shook their heads, speaking in unison.

Jun sat up straight, raising an eyebrow at the both of them. "Nothing? At all?"

Hikari covered for them, laughing nervously. "Well, we went shopping and ate some sweets, but that's it! You didn't miss anything!"

Jun was unconvinced. "I know you guys are hiding something from me. What is it?"

Kouki joined Hikari in her protest. "We aren't hiding anything. Why would we lie to you?"

Jun cocked an eyebrow. "Riiight. You guys WILL tell me before this day is over."

Hikari hopped on the chance for a subject change. "Speaking of the day…what are we going to do today?"

Jun shrugged, stuffing his face with food.

Kouki already had his brochure in front of him, scanning the pages. "Well, there's nothing special going on today…we could go skiing again?"

Jun nodded. "I could use the exercise."

Hikari remembered the agony skiing had caused her muscles the last time and shuddered. She really didn't want to repeat the experience. "Um…why don't we just stay in the hotel? There's plenty of stuff to do inside."

The blond boy snorted. "That sound pretty boring, Kari."

Hikari scowled at him. "Why? Just because we aren't running around like idiots outside doesn't make it boring! We could go to the arcade, or play some board games!"

Kouki nodded. "Sounds like fun to me."

Jun flicked remnants of his eggs at the boy. "You always agree with her, Kouki."

"She has a lot of good ideas, unlike some of us."

Jun stared at Kouki, a bit taken aback. There was something to his words, something hidden just underneath the surface that ruffled his feathers. The dark haired boy had been cold and almost verbally hostile to Jun all morning; Kouki had basically ignored him throughout breakfast, only focusing on Hikari.

Kouki met Jun's bewildered gape squarely, another thing that had never occurred. There was a new confidence to his demeanor and a distinct challenge in his calm gaze.

Jun couldn't put his finger on it…but he knew an unspoken challenge between men when he saw it. He scowled, putting down his fork.

Hikari, however, was unaware of the battle brewing right before her eyes. "Well then, it's settled! Let's head to the arcade!"

"Um, guys? Not that this isn't fun and all…but do you think I could have a turn?" Hikari could feel her lips twitch as she tried to keep the smile on her face. They had been at the arcade for two hours and had stopped by every game station…but Hikari hadn't played a game since they arrived.

Jun's tongue peeked out of the corner of his mouth as he shot at the screen with a plastic laser gun, extreme focus etched on his face. "Just…let us finish this game, Kari…"

Kouki was just as focused as Jun, brows furrowed in concentration. The results flashed across the screen, and a triumphant smile lit his face. "Ha! I beat you by three points!"

Jun slammed the gun down in his frustration. "Crap! I will not let it end like this! I demand a rematch!"

Kouki face lit up with a devilish grin, a strange light in his eyes. "Bring it!"

Hikari sighed, thoroughly confused. She took a sip of her soda, mumbling to herself. "I guess it's a guy thing…" It was a shame they never thought to make three player games.

A few moments later another triumphant yell was heard, this time from Jun.

"HA! Take that! Beat you by _eight_ points!"

Kouki scowled, a dark look on his face. "Again. Let's play again."

Jun smirked, the devilish grin now on his face. "Bring it on! I can beat you again!"

"NO!" Hikari almost choked on her drink at the thought of having to sit through another battle between those two. "No. No way." She yanked the gun out of Jun's hands, putting it back in the holster. "Let's go do something else…ANYTHING else. At least something we all can do together."

Kouki flashed her a sheepish smile, a small blush on his cheeks. "Ah ha ha…sorry, Hikari. I guess we just got caught up in the game."

Jun scowled, a sour mood building up inside him. Kouki was perfectly civil and normal when he talked with Hikari, but cold when the conversation was directed toward him. He hadn't done anything to the other boy, so what was the problem? Jun scowled, stomping out of the arcade. "Fine! Let's go do something else, then!"

Hikari watched him go, a small frown on her face. "What's gotten into him?"

Kouki shrugged, smiling sweetly. "I don't know. Anyways, we should probably follow him." The boy headed out of the room, leaving a confused Hikari behind.

"…Both of them are acting strange today…" She scowled, her good mood forgotten. "This is supposed to be a vacation! We're supposed to be relaxing and having fun!" She pouted, stalking after them.

The three found themselves seated at a table in one of the many lounges in the hotel. Hikari had bought a pack of cards at the gift shop, and proceeded to hand the two's butts to them with every game they played. Her irritation had made her fiercely competitive; Jun and Kouki could only huddle before her wrath.

Jun sighed, tossing his cards on the table for the umpteenth time. "I'm out." Kouki repeated the motion silently, staring at the table in embarrassment.

Hikari gathered up the cards, laughing triumphantly. "Ha ha! Don't mess with the master!" Her mood had brightened considerably since her winning streak had begun; she hummed to herself as she shuffled the cards.

Jun huffed, resting his head on the table. "Well, this is no fun. Kari, you have to be cheating!"

Kouki looked away from the blond, speaking nonchalantly. "Have you considered that you're just not good at this kind of thing, Jun?"

Jun glared at him, sitting up. "What's that's supposed to mean?!"

"Guys please…you both suck." Hikari dealt another hand to the boys, grinning. "You're just lucky we aren't playing for money."

Jun took the cards grudgingly, holding them inches from his nose. His foot tapped rapidly underneath the table; he never did well with games that took a lot of strategy and waiting.

Kouki looked at his hand of cards, frowning. It already wasn't looking for him this round. He put his hand down, sighing. "I think I'm out already."

Jun smirked at the other boy. "Aww, giving up already?"

Kouki shrugged, looking away from Jun. "I know my limits."

"Pfft! Limits are for quitters!"

"Or for sane people…"

"Hey! I'm plenty sane!"

"I never mentioned any names."

Hikari hid her face behind her cards as she watched the two fight, completely baffled. Sure, she and Jun butted heads all the time, but she never thought she would see Jun and Kouki argue. Heck, she never thought she see the day when Kouki would argue with anyone, let alone Jun. What had gotten those two riled up?

Jun was standing now, his lanky frame towering over Kouki. "Hey! I'm plenty capable of taking care of myself!"

"Says the guy who's wearing my shirt." Kouki had his chin resting on his hands, still looking away from Jun.

Jun looked down at the shirt he was wearing, a blush rising on his cheeks. "It was an honest mistake, dammit!"

"Guys, please! Stop arguing!" Hikari sat her cards down on the table. "It was just a game! Why don't we do something else for now—" Her voice was cut off by the sound of her stomach growling. She laughed nervously, holding her sides. Time had flown by while everyone was immersed in playing the games; the light outside the windows was completely gone.

Kouki laughed, scratching his cheek. "Sorry about that, Hikari. Would you like something to eat?"

Hikari smiled nervously. "I _am _kinda hungry."

"What do you want?"

She thought for a moment, tapping her chin. "Well, I have been craving some pizza…"

Kouki stood up, smiling at her. "I'll go get you some then."

Hikari started to stand. "I can get—"

Jun stopped the boy with a hand, a strained smile on his face. "Don't bother yourself with it! I'll get it!" He took a few steps forward, before someone grabbed his shoulder.

"No. _I'll_ get it." A sweeter, equally strained smile was on Kouki's face as he tried to getting in front of Jun. Jun however, wasn't going to let him go without a fight. They both raced away from Hikari, pushing the other one down by the shoulder.

"…it myself…" Hikari sat back down, sighing. There was definitely something wrong here.

* * *

After eating their pizza in silence, Hikari was set and determined to lighten the mood. She smiled sweetly at the two. "So, what else do you guys want to do tonight? We could play another card game, or maybe a board game, or head…back down to the…arcade…"

Both of the boys looked away from her, not responding.

She tried again, pleading with the two. "Come on, guys! Let's not fight! We're on vacation at a fancy resort! What do you have to be mad about? Can't we all get along?"

She might as well have been talking to herself; the boys didn't even acknowledge her. Hikari's patience snapped. She stood up, stomping over to the two. "Well, you guys aren't ruing MY vacation! Come on!" Hikari grabbed both of their hands, yanking them up out of their seats and dragging them down the hall.

"Ack! Kari, where are we going?" Jun grimaced at her iron grip on his hand; Kouki's face turned bright red in embarrassment.

"We're going to have some fun!" Hikari dragged the two all the way to the main lounge, where a karaoke contest was being held.

Kouki mouth opened wide, stuttering. "Ka-ka-karaoke? But I can't sing! Especially not in front of all these people!"

Hikari smiled kindly at him. "Don't worry! It's not that bad!" She deposited the two at a booth, grabbing a book of songs. She sat across from them, smiling devilishly. "Now, who's singing first?"

Jun crossed his arms, glaring at the girl. "Kari, this is stupid! Why do we have to sing karaoke?"

She scowled murderously at the blond. "You guys OWE me. All you've done is argue all day! We're supposed to be having _fun_, remember?"

They both withered under her glare, looking down in embarrassment.

Kouki looked up at the girl, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry about that, Hikari…"

"Don't be sorry! Just have some fun!" Her smiled brightened up; she slid the book over to the boys. "Now, somebody pick a song and go!"

Kouki began to stand, but Jun was on the outside of the booth. The blond picked up the book, sliding out of the seat. "_I'll _go first!"

He hopped up on stage, grabbing the microphone and telling the MC what his song was. The music began playing an upbeat tune. Jun started to sing boisterously, his voice pleasant despite its intensity. His body swayed to the music, an excited smile on his face; Jun didn't like to do anything half-heartedly.

The song ended and Jun received a round of applause. He bowed zealously, drunk on adrenaline. Jun rushed back to the table, dragging Kouki out of the seat. "It's your turn, Kouki!"

Kouki stumbled up to the stage, visibly shaking.

Hikari yelled out in encouragement. "Come on, Kouki! You'll do great!"

After review the book for the last time, Kouki whispered his song to the MC, grabbing the microphone. He took a deep breath as the music began, closing his eyes. The song was much more somber than the song Jun had picked, and Kouki sang very quietly. However, his clear tenor resonated throughout the room as people listened in awe; his voice was very soothing.

Whistles and claps filled the room as Kouki rushed back to his sit, his face beat red. Hikari and Jun patted him on the back, compliment him.

Jun looked up at Hikari, a sly smile on his face. "Hey, isn't it your turn next?"

She smiled sweetly back, a devilish glint in her eyes. "I don't think I can do it by myself…does someone want to sing a duet with me?"

The boys looked at each other, the smiles fading from their faces. They both shouted at the same time. "I will!"

Hikari smirked. "Well, I guess you two will have to sing together! And I already picked out your song!" She kicked the two out of the booth, shoving them all the way up to the stage. Hikari whispered the song to the MC before running back to her seat, a wide grin on her face.

The song began to play, causing Jun's jaw to drop. "Hikari! This is a love song!"

She smiled at him, waving a hand. "Now come on, don't be a spoil sport! You OWE me, remember?"

Jun and Kouki exchanged glances. They both sighed, looking away from each other as they started to sing, Kouki singing the part of the man and Jun singing the part of the woman. The crowd burst into hysterics; both of their faces were the same shade of scarlet as they inched away from each other awkwardly.

Hikari only smiled mischievously from her seat. She finally felt relaxed for the first time that day.

* * *

Hikari's relaxation didn't last long, however. The three left the lounge soon after Jun and Kouki's romantic duet had ended, both of the boys refusing to sing another song. They retreated into their separate rooms after voicing their good-nights; Hikari was dressed in her pink pajamas and towel drying her hair when the yelling began.

She wrapped her blanket around herself and opened her door just as the door across the hall slammed open, a livid and shirtless Jun stomping down the hall. Kouki appeared in the doorway, holding the black turtleneck Jun had been wearing in his hands.

Hikari rushed over to him. "Kouki? What happened?!"

The cold look on his face slowly melted into one of regret. He sighed long and hard. "Ah…I don't know what came over me…" He leaned against the wall, rubbing his head with his hand. "We just started arguing again, and I…ugh, I said some terrible things to Jun…Ah, I feel horrible…"

Hikari was completely astonished. She touched his arm gently, worried. "Kouki, what's wrong? You've been acting strange all day."

He smiled sadly at her. "I…I can't tell you. I'm sorry, Hikari it's just…" He stopped, sighing again. "Just…Could you just find Jun for me and tell him I'm really sorry?"

"But, Kouki–"

"Please, Hikari?" He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I know he won't talk to me now, and I feel horrible about what I've done to him all day. So…please."

Hikari looked up at him, unable to refuse. "…Fine. I'll tell him. But, you have to tell me what's going on. It doesn't have to be right now, but…"

Kouki gave her a small smile. "I know. I'll tell you soon, I promise." He let go of her shoulder, watching her go down the hall, the smile slowly fading. He walked back into the room, shutting the door quietly behind him before sinking against it, resting his head in his hands.

His heart was still racing from the brief moment that he had touched her shoulder, her warmth still on his hand. There wasn't a moment in the day that he didn't think of her, that he didn't want to be with her. He lover her. He loved Hikari.

But, if love was supposed to be so wonderful, then why did he feel so miserable?

It was a stupid question to ask himself; he knew why he felt so miserable.

Jun.

Jun was the reason. And it wasn't Jun's fault that he was the reason.

It was obvious to Kouki what Jun felt for Hikari. He felt it himself. And that's why it was so hard for Kouki to love her. It was like he was betraying his friend, one of his only friends. But…he couldn't help himself! He loved her so much! So much that he couldn't just bring himself to let her go without a fight.

But his opponent was Jun.

Jun, one of the few people who accepted him.

How could he be happy with Hikari knowing that he would be destroying his friend? But, he wanted to be with Hikari. So much that it made him sick.

He didn't want to give her up.

But, could he keep up the fight?

He didn't know what had come over him that day, why this day was so different from any other. He had been fine before now; what had changed? Why was he acting like this?

All the cold words he said to Jun seemed to roll off his tongue so easily when Hikari was on his mind. He had insulted Jun all day…initiating fights, treating him like garbage…Now that he was alone with his thoughts, he felt so ashamed of himself. He had been such an _ass_. A pompous ass.

Kouki tapped his head with a fist, a rugged sighed ripping through his chest.

He wanted Hikari. He wanted to win. But, what price was he willing to pay?

* * *

"Jun?" Hikari stepped into the lounge area, padding quietly through the gloom. The only light came from the fireplaces along the walls. She spotted Jun immediately, his spiky blond hair peaking up from one of the couches lined up in front of the fireplaces. His legs were drawn up to his chest as he watched the fire burn, face shadowed.

Hikari threw the blanket over his bare shoulders, sitting down next to him. "You do realize it's snowing outside, right? This place is drafty."

Jun didn't respond, his gaze unwavering on the flames.

"…Kouki feels really bad about what he said to you. He told me to tell you he's really sorry." She waited for a moment. "I know he meant it, Jun. He looked really sad."

Jun still remained silent.

Hikari reached for him, her worry growing. "Jun, what happened–"

"He didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know myself. Just things I didn't want to admit." If Hikari hadn't heard his voice, she wouldn't even know that he had moved. He continued to stare intently into the flames, eyes hard. "I'm a failure. I can't do anything right, and I can't protect anyone. I know that. I _know_."

"Jun, you're not a fail—"

"Don't, Kari. Just…don't."

Hikari could feel the tears building in her eyes despite herself. "Jun, please don't do this again…"

His eyes flicked over to her; he sighed, burying his face in his knees. "I'm sorry, Kari. I told myself I wouldn't make you upset again." He didn't even realize he was crying until his tears began to seep through his jeans. "I just…don't know anymore."

Hikari bit her lip; it tore at her to see Jun so broken. She rested her head on his shoulder, staying with him until his silent sobs faded into the calm breaths of slumber.

* * *

**A/N: First off, OH MY GOD GUYS, I'M SO SORRY I TOOK SO LONG! D8 All you guys do is support me, and I pull a stunt like this on you! ;_; I've just been really busy lately! College Composition is a BITCH, let me tell you. It really takes the love out of writing. D8 But, I'm on winter break now, so maybe I'll get some more of my stories finished! **

**Second, woah, this chapter started out fun, but ended up really emo. XD Well, it was Kouki's turn for a proper emo moment, ya know. Poor Kouki...I was trying to work up to the romance, since that's what you guys wanted, but instead, I give you emo boys. XD**

**And third, if you're wondering what Jun and Kouki were singing at the karaoke contest, it was The Phantom of The Opera. XD Just imagine Jun trying to hit those high notes! XD**

**So, what's the tally now? Jun's got to sleep with Hikari three times, while Kouki's been on top of/touched Hikari's boobs three times? And they've both gotten a kiss, even though Jun wasn't conscious for his. Seems about even.**

**Once again, I'm sorry for making you guys wait so long! I hope you can forgive me. XP Your reviews always make me so happy!**

**What's going to happen next?**

**...Don't look at me. XD I have no clue!**


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